Is this the correct way to make kids disciplined?

All parents want their kids to be disciplined. But it’s a herculean task to make kids follow discipline all the time. Some kids are born to break rules and it is really difficult to make them follow rules and regulations. It is tough to control the behavior of kids. Parents use all kinds of tricks to make their little ones listen to them and follow their orders but they do not succeed every time. 

Some parents use threats to make their kids disciplined. For example, “If you will not wear this dress, I’ll lock you in the cupboard”. However, these types of threats instill fear among the kids and they follow the orders out of fear, not out of respect. My friend has to drop her daughter to playschool every day and whenever she resists going to playschool, she says, “If you will not go to playschool, I’ll lock you alone in the home with the ghost”. Now, her daughter cries whenever she finds herself alone in the home and is scared to death by the thought of staying alone. 

Another method which parents use is giving bribes to their kids. For example, “If you will finish your vegetables, I’ll give you chocolate”. Well, this trick actually works but then the kids start expecting chocolates every time they finish their vegetables. Soon they start expecting some reward in return of doing everything which they resist.

Threats or bribes cannot make the kids disciplined. Parents need to use different techniques to encourage their kids to be disciplined. They need to reinforce good behavior among kids by appreciating their work or through encouragement. They should make the kids understand in a way they can understand, without using complex statements.  Kids emulate their parents’ behavior, hence first parents need to be disciplined, then only they can expect their kids to follow rules. 

Regards

10on10 Team