Praise
Don’t forget to praise your child and do so more than you reprimand him or her.
Be Consistent
Be consistent, don’t back down when your child pleads with you. Consistency teaches your child what is expected of them. They need to know the rules. Rules that change are confusing for a child.
Don’t Lie
Don’t tell a lie, not even a “little” one. Children pick up on things. When you lie, you are teaching your child to lie, too. Do you want your child to lie to you?
No Bribing
Don’t use bribing as a tool for getting your kids to do what you want. They learn that the only time they need to listen is when there is a treat in it for them. It’s ok, every so often, but not as the norm.
Don’t Lose It
Don’t Lose Your Cool. Figure out when it is that you get to the end of your rope. Try to stay calm before you get to that point and firmly tell your child what it is you want him or her to do. If they don’t do it, don’t get angry and start screaming. Instead, pick him up and put him on a naughty chair, step or in his room and in a calm voice tell him why he is there. Often times, a child is screaming and it won’t be until after the discipline is over that you can explain why he was placed there in the first place. When we lose our cool, the child sees it as a fight and nothing rational can be done. Keeping control of the situation can be a learning experience for your child. You may have a much calmer child as a result. And you earn respect as a parent.
