As parents, we must have a plan when it comes to disciplining our children. We need to know exactly what we are going to do when our child misbehaves. We may wonder how love and discipline go together. I’d like to share a few guidelines that I've found to be very helpful when comes to discipline.
* Discipline out of your Love for your child...yes love and discipline do go together!
* Set clear expectations and guidelines, and post these guidelines as your “house rules.”
* Set reasonable limits and keep expectations age appropriate.
* Be consistent. Follow through with consequences every time.
* Provide strong consequences when a child deliberately disobeys.
* After the child is receives a consequence, take a moment to teach a lesson related to what the child did wrong and what should have been done.
* Remember, as parents, if we establish ourselves as the leaders of the family, discipline will not have to occur as often.
When it comes to discipline, is it is critical to be consistent, fair, and firm. Most importantly, don’t worry about being your child’s friend or buddy. That is not our job. As parents, our job is to be a parent and to prepare our children to function in this world as responsible citizens. Remember, love and discipline! It's a tough job, but we can do it!