Every parent aspires to raise children with good and commendable character. We want them to grow up courteous and disciplined. This can be a big challenge for mothers and fathers as kids are always learning, growing and changing. It can even feel like a test of patience at times as children have the tendency to show the not-so-fun sides of parenthood such as dealing with tantrums or not abiding by the rules. It isn’t unusual to see young kids exhibit rebelliousness and disobedience as they are yet to learn how to properly react to situations or manage their emotions. However, since they are still young, you can try out techniques to ensure that they will ultimately outgrow unpleasant behaviors. The following pointers can help you instill discipline and strengthen the character of your children.
Establish rules.
Even at a very young age, you can teach your children the rules they need to abide by. This is a practice that is applicable later on in their life as we all have to abide by rules everywhere we go. Discuss these rules with your children and explain why there are things that they are not allowed to do. It will help if you let your kids know that your rules are not meant to punish them. Instead, teach them that rules are necessary to achieve order. To encourage your children to follow the house rules, make them aware of the rewards that come with following the rules such as an organized home (by cleaning up after themselves) or good school grades (by having a daily study time).
Set consequences.
Setting rules won’t achieve anything if breaking them does not incur consequences. This is very important because sometimes children try to break the rules just to discover your reaction. These consequences should be discussed along with setting the rules so your children know the risks involved when they don’t follow it. If the rules and the punishments for breaking them are clear from the start, your child will learn that every action has a consequence.
Be vigilant and consistent.
Many parents resort to scaring or threatening a child about a possible punishment for misbehavior; but few actually enforce them. Kids can be mischievous and may try to test you in order to see what they can get away with. However, letting a wrong deed pass will only encourage your child to do it again. Parents who want their child to really learn from breaking the rules should be stern and consistent to help them learn from their mistakes. Consistency in enforcing consequences is equally important as well. Your effort in instilling discipline might go down the drain if you will get upset over a bad deed today but then let your child go away with it the next day.
Be a good example.
Parents who want to raise disciplined kids should begin by examining their own behaviors. As they say, you can’t give something you do not have. Strive to practice the good traits and values you want to teach your kids. You can’t make a child keep a tidy room if he or she sees that your room looks like a mess. Raising a child who values good health will also be next to impossible if you don’t follow a well-balanced diet. Let your daily actions serve as examples and set you up as a model for your child to emulate.
Recognize and reward good behavior.
It is important to notice when your child is being disciplined and polite. Don’t hesitate to let them know that you’ve noticed their good behavior or when they’ve been consistent in following the rules. You can even offer rewards to help encourage and incentivize them to continue to follow the rules. This will further reinforce positive behaviors and can help it become a natural habit.
There are many ways for parents to demonstrate their love and care for their children. One of the best ways is by instilling discipline and strengthening their character. Your kids will surely be grateful for this as they grow older and apply their childhood leanings on discipline throughout their life.
