| Child discipline can be easy for parents. The thing to | | | | know and understand that a good choice equates to a |
| remember is that your kids need good boundaries to | | | | good consequence. |
| start off with. Children need to know that there are | | | | Our job as a parent is to help our kids internalise this |
| certain rules to life. Remember, we are teaching our | | | | so that it becomes automatic. An example is this: |
| kids how to function in the adult world, and in the adult | | | | whenever my son wants me to take him somewhere |
| world we have certain boundaries. Here is an example: | | | | he first will clean his room and make sure that all of his |
| If you speed in your car and get pulled over by an | | | | chores are done. He knows that this is highly likely to |
| officer of the law, you will get a speeding ticket. That is | | | | get a favourable response from me. And this is the |
| the consequence for speeding. When you first get | | | | ideal: having kids that understand the likelihood of good |
| your driver's licence you are told to obey the laws of | | | | things happening when they pull their weight around the |
| the road. If you choose to disobey them you can | | | | house and in life in general. |
| expect to get a ticket if you are caught. | | | | This can also work in reverse. One of my older boys |
| Kids need to know what to take responsibility for. If | | | | sometimes focuses so much on what he wants that |
| you let them away with pushing the boundaries they | | | | he forgets to do what is requires of him before he |
| will continue to do so, until such a time as you, the | | | | asks me. The end result is that I often say "no" to him. |
| parent, change what you are doing. It is important not | | | | This is the way the real world operates and I am doing |
| to confuse our kids and to be consistent with what we | | | | my child no favours if I bend the rules because I feel |
| say to them. Kids can only oblige when they fully | | | | sorry for him. |
| understand what is required of them. | | | | Remember this, parents. It is not your job to be liked; it |
| Kids who understand the concept of boundaries are | | | | is your job to provide safe boundaries for your child to |
| not only better behaved but they also create personal | | | | thrive within and live safely. When you do this child |
| boundaries in their own lives more readily. These kids | | | | discipline will be so much easier and your child will be |
| have the ability to choose wisely and usually make | | | | happier. |
| very good choices. The reason for this is that they | | | | |