Have you ever found yourself struggling to figure out the best way to discipline a child? This is one of the challenges that most parents have when trying to keep their children under control. This can be difficult, but let's work through it together.

Positive discipline approaches are recommended as an effective way to educate children to manage their behavior and keep them safe while fostering healthy development. Let's look at these approaches according to the United nation children’s fund (UNICEF)

1. Schedule one-on-one time with your child
One-on-one time is essential for developing any successful relationship, especially with your children. "It could be 20 minutes every day. Or even only 5 minutes. "You may combine it with things like washing dishes while singing a song or chatting while hanging out the laundry," Professor Cluver explains. "What is most important is that you concentrate on your child. So you turn off your TV, turn off your phone, get down to their level, and it's just you and them."

2. Highlight the good
As parents, we frequently focus on and criticize our children's undesirable behavior. Children may interpret this as a strategy to obtain your attention, continuing bad behavior rather than putting an end to it.

Children thrive on compliments. It helps them feel special and appreciated. "Watch for when they're doing something good and reward them, even if it's simply playing for five minutes with their sibling," Professor Cluver advises. "This can promote excellent behavior while reducing the need for discipline."

3. Establish clear expectations
"Telling your child exactly what you want them to do is far more successful than telling them what they should not do," Professor Cluver explains. "When you tell a child not to create a mess or to be good, they don't always grasp what they're supposed to do." Clear instructions, such as "Please pick up all of your toys and place them in the box," establish a clear expectation and improve the likelihood that they will comply.

"However, it is critical to set realistic expectations. "Asking them to be quiet for an entire day may be more difficult than asking for 10 minutes of quiet time while you make a phone call," explains Professor Cluver. "You are aware of what your child is capable of. However, if you ask for the impossible, they will fail."

4. Use inventive diversion
According to Professor Cluver, it can be helpful to divert your child's attention with a more constructive activity when they are acting with difficulty. You can successfully redirect their energy toward positive behavior by changing the subject, introducing a game, leading them into another room, or taking a walk.

Timing is equally important. Distraction also involves recognizing when something is about to go wrong and acting on it. Recognizing potential problems before they arise, such as when two siblings are eyeing the same toy or your child is starting to act fidgety, irritable, or annoyed.

5. Apply reasonable penalties
Learning that if you do something, something else might happen as a result is a necessary part of growing up. This can be defined for your child in a straightforward manner, which promotes better behavior and teaches them about responsibility.

By outlining the negative effects of their bad behavior, you can give your child the opportunity to behave properly. For instance, if you want your child to stop drawing on the walls, you can threaten to end their playtime if they don't. This gives them a heads-up and a chance to alter their behavior.

If they don't stop, face the consequences calmly and without fury, "and give yourself credit for that - it's not easy!" Professor Cluver adds.

Professor Cluver advises giving them lots of praise if they do quit. "You are establishing a positive feedback loop for your youngster. Calm consequences have been demonstrated to be beneficial in teaching children what happens when they misbehave."

Consistency is essential in good parenting, which is why it is critical to follow through on the consequences. Making them believable is also important. "You can take a teenager's phone away for an hour, but taking it away for a week may be harder."


What are the 5 types of discipline?
The five types of discipline are:
● Discipline with defined boundaries.
● Gentle correction.
● Discipline that is positive.
● Emotion-coaching.
● Change in behavior.

How do you control a disrespectful child?
Below are the ways to control a disrespectful child:
● Ignore Adolescent Attention-Seeking Behavior.
● Determine the Root Cause.
● When/Then Statements are useful.
● Allow Your Child to Try Again.
● Choose Your Battles.
● Give an Immediate Reaction.
● Make use of restitution.
● Refill the tank of someone else.

What is the best age to discipline a child?
Discipline in its most basic forms can begin as soon as your child is eight months old. When your beautiful bundle begins biting your arm or tugging off your glasses even after you say "no," you'll know it's time to go on your discipline path... and then laughs again and again.

How do you discipline a child without hitting and yelling?
The best methods for disciplining a child without hitting or shouting are:
● Take a break.
● Get someone else to help you.
● Teach them what you expect of them
● Recognize their beneficial actions.
● Timeout
● Repercussions.
● Choose your fights wisely.


Does shouting damage your child?
Studies and evidence have shown that shouting is one of the most ineffective ways of disciplining a child. It can cause more harm and damage than benefit in the long run.

What happens if you keep shouting at a child?
Repeated shouting can have a long-term negative impact on a child's life. Its continued "toxic stress" can result in a variety of undesirable outcomes, including an increased risk of school dropout, depression, drug use, suicide, and heart disease.


Conclusion
Always be prepared to community and interact with them and compliment their great conduct. Set expectations, and if necessary, distract them from something harmful and impose an acceptable penalty if they are at fault. With this, your child will behave in the manner in which you anticipate them to.

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