Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Preventing the need to discipline your child
• Method 2 of 2: How to Use Positive Discipline Practices
• Warnings

Parents and guardians of young children do not always know how best to maintain discipline. The words "discipline" and "punish" are not synonymous. To maintain discipline, you need to consider the developmental stages of your toddler, help your child think for themselves, and actively participate in behavior change. Today we know much more about the developmental features of the child's brain, social and emotional capabilities of the child. The experts recommend that discipline instilling practices (especially with young children) constitute positive experiences that help build self-esteem.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Preventing the need to discipline your child

1. 1 Create suitable conditions. Create an atmosphere in your home that saves you from having to deal with discipline issues unless absolutely necessary. Provide a safe and comfortable environment for the child to dispense with many rules and say no to the child as little as possible.
   • Use cabinet locks and fixtures to keep your child out of reach.
   • Close doors to rooms that are unsafe for a child without adult supervision.
   • Use barriers and barriers to keep your child safe from parts of the home such as stairs and steps.
2. 2 Provide your child with many things to play with. Young children love to play, and this process is important for the healthy development of a child. You don't have to buy expensive toys - kids can have a great time with cardboard boxes, simple toys, pots and pans. Sometimes very simple things catch your child's imagination, so don't feel guilty if you can't afford to buy expensive toys for your child.
3. 3 Bring toys and treats with you when you leave home. Children can misbehave due to boredom or hunger. Never leave home without your child's favorite toys and healthy but mouth-watering treats.
4. 4 Create age-appropriate rules with your child. Children as young as four years old will happily participate in making the rules. Take the time to work out some sound rules together. This will help your child understand your expectations better. If your child participates in creating rules, he will be more willing to follow them, and you will help him learn self-control.
5. 5 Choose your rules thoughtfully and don't come up with too many rules. Children of this age will be discouraged if they have to memorize too many rules. At four years old, a child may ignore the rules if there are too many of them, or become frustrated with trying to follow all the rules and start to indulge in frustration.
   • Communicate with kindergarten teachers so that they know about the rules that you came up with with your child.

Method 2 of 2: How to Use Positive Discipline Practices

1. 1 Don't use punishment, especially corporal punishment. Previously, children were taught correct behavior through punishment for wrongdoing. Preschool development specialists (who study a child's brain, education, psychology) have come to the conclusion that punishment is not the best way to teach a child the right behavior. Children will grow up to be healthier and happier with positive parenting methods.
   • The effectiveness of corporal punishment is questioned: spanking and other types of blows do not work and lead to various undesirable consequences. According to credible scientific research, spanking and other forms of corporal punishment change the nature of the development of the child's brain; such actions predispose them to mood disorders in the future and even make it difficult to understand how to control their behavior.
2. 2 Understand the causes of bad behavior. Preschoolers may misbehave due to hunger, fatigue, or boredom. Also, they may not understand the essence of the established rules. At times, bad behavior is due to confusion or unwillingness to stop taking a particular action.
   • If your child asks questions about the rules, then it is obvious that he does not fully understand your expectations. Help your child figure it out. Use simple, clear words, and prepare to patiently repeat the information over and over again.
3. 3 Be flexible. Flexibility and patience must be demonstrated with four-year-olds. It's okay if a child of this age can't always follow the rules. When a child makes mistakes, support instead of anger is the best tactic. Use each mistake as an opportunity to learn a lesson for yourself and your child. Discuss with the children what can be learned in each situation and explain the importance of the rules.
   • Respond to mistakes with support and respect. At this age, the child cannot behave perfectly. He learns to understand what rules are and how to follow them, and mistakes are a completely normal and important part of the learning process.
   • If the child makes a mistake (for example, he went into the bedroom and woke a sleeping family member, although the rules require not to prevent the person from sleeping after work on the night shift), then realize that the child still does not know how to do everything right. Love for a relative may outweigh his desire to follow the rules at that age. The best approach is to talk patiently with your child.
4. 4 Strictly adhere to the rules. Allowing something one day and forbidding it the next can make your child easily confused. This confusion can lead to behavior that seems disobedient to you, but it is a reaction to a situation that the child does not understand.
   • If you decide that after kindergarten, the child can only eat fruits or vegetables, although candy and other "treats" were previously allowed, be sure to tell your child about the changes and stick to the plan. If you go back to the milk-liver again, your baby may become confused.
   • If the child does not understand the rule, he can ignore it. Remember that it is not his fault. It's important to follow the rules. This is the only way your child can understand your expectations.
5. 5 Tell stories about rules and regulations. Young children love stories because they help the child better understand themselves, others and the world around them. Stories help children cope better with their feelings and understand that other people also find themselves in similar situations. Share stories with your child to show that you understand their feelings.
   • One of the most popular children's books on rules is "Where the Monsters Live" by Maurice Sendak. The main character in the book, Max, breaks the rules. Children will surely enjoy discussing the plot and trying situations with Max in their lives.
6. 6 Guide your child through the behavior change process. When it is time to intervene, give the child as much time to respond as needed. Your voice should be calm and firm. Walk up to the child and bend over to communicate on the same level and look into each other's eyes. Tell your child what not to do and how to behave in such cases.
   • If a child needs to be weaned from an action that he likes, then be sure to prepare him for the change. For example, tell your child to go to bed in five minutes so they can get ready.
7. 7 Use age-appropriate “consequences”. It is most effective to use consequences in combination with argumentation or oral explanation so that the child can associate his actions with such consequences. But this is not enough. The consequences for children must be inevitable and permanent in order to effectively influence behavior.
   • Children are often “put in a corner” or asked to “sit still” to explain the consequences and reassure them of bad behavior.
     • Choose four or five rules, if broken, the child will have to sit quietly or stand still. Children should know in advance what wrongs lead to such consequences.
     • Whenever you break the rules, calmly tell your child to stand in a corner.
     • Experts recommend determining the time of such an effect on the basis of no more than a minute for one year of age (for example, no more than four minutes for a child of four).
     • When the time is up, praise your child for successfully meeting your requirement.
   • Another option is to take the item or prohibit the action associated with the child's bad behavior. Temporarily take the item or prohibit the action and demand to do something else.
   • When using the consequences, make sure that they come immediately after the bad behavior. Otherwise, children of four years old will not be able to "grasp the connection" between the offense and the consequence.
8. 8 Praise your child for success. Always praise your child when he comes to meet you. It is useful for all children, especially preschoolers, to hear praise for their successes. By doing this, you will build their confidence and emphasize the importance of doing the right thing.

Warnings

• A nanny should never use corporal punishment. Find out what discipline methods are used by the child's parent or guardian.
• Never spank or hit a child. There is overwhelming evidence that physical discipline methods are harmful and useless, which can cause serious physical and psychological harm to a child.
• Never try to discipline an infant or shake or hit an infant. When a baby cries, he needs your attention, so try to figure out how you can help.