Should Discipline Start Young?

Disciplining our youngest children is an opportunity for parents and caregivers to guide and model appropriate expectations for behavior. Effective adult modeling, guided practice along with logical consequences reduces the stress level for you and your child. Take into account that not every child is the same within and age group. According to child psychologist, Dr. Robert Myers, getting to know your child is the most important thing you need to learn. As your child grows, observe as your child sleeps, plays and interacts with others to ensure your discipline approach is appropriate to their developmental age.

  1. Effective Discipline

    • Family time benefits from clear guiding principles.

      The heart of effective discipline for parents of young children is grounded in tools that teachers use, called the Responsive Classroom Approach. Used in successful classrooms across the United States, parents can discipline young children by adopting these guiding principals for their homes; rule setting, modeling, positive language, organization, collaborative role-playing and logical consequences. While this may appear to be overwhelming, parents who value these beliefs find they improve the quality of the time they have with their children, as it is positive, joyful and stress-free.

    Establishing a Base

    • Supporting self-discipline and internalizing behaviors

      According to the Dr. Robert Marzano, an educational researcher, children need clear rules outlining expectations for behavior. These rules should be simple and clear. When possible, children should be a part of the development of these rules. You'll need to reinforce and remind your child of these rules, especially with very young children. Through direct modeling on your part, your children begin to internalize, value and notice the expected behavior. Children learn through social interaction with you and other adults. When you're spending time with your child, use a positive, neutral tone with the goal of supporting self-discipline.

    Modeling Expectations

    • Always discipline with respect.

      The overarching goal in disciplining young children is to establish independence, joy and children who understand cause and effect. Dr. Laura Markham, author, "Aha! Parenting.Com" supports the theory that young children thrive on routine and structure, creating discipline and a sense of security. This is more important as you model expectations for your child. Your child doesn't benefit from surprises, or "gotcha" moments. When problems arise, make discipline fun by role playing and trying to solve the problem together. Children will naturally break the rules or neglect to follow the expectations, so implement logical consequences in a respectful way, guiding children to understanding the effects of their actions and developing the internalizing controls.

    Teach

    • Develop an independent, cooperative child with self-discipline.

      Discipline isn't solely for the challenging child or the child that is frequently misbehaving. Discipline is how children learn norms, rules and expectations in all areas of their lives. These expectations can stretch from the simple to the complex. Pro-active discipline allows you to spend more meaningful and joyful time with your child while supporting your child's growing independence and self-regulation.

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