Discipline: Getting Over the Heebie Jeebies

I know that many of you mothers are just like I am when it comes to disciplining children- you’re kind of a wimp. You just don’t want to do it because you are afraid your kids won’t like you. Or- you could be feeling that you discipline all of the time and what you’re doing never works. No matter what you do, your kids just won’t listen to you.

I get it. You’re not alone. The truth is, disciplining children well is hard work on many levels. It requires that we act in a controlled manner and implement a well-thought plan. In fact, good discipline feels counter-intuitive at times. We must do the right thing for our children when we don’t want to and we must not act from impulsive emotions. In fact, disciplining children well requires that we discipline ourselves!

That’s why we need help. As good parents, we must take a hard look at why we discipline, how we discipline and then when we discipline in order to come up with a good strategy that works. Our children’s behavior is far too important to devise plans on the fly, so we must be intentional, controlled and the plan we create must make sense.

I have worked long and hard at creating discipline strategies that I know work for parents because I have seen them in action. I believe that discipline must be kind, but it also requires backbone and courage because I know that many of you really are just like I am- queasy about the whole thing. (If you are wondering whether or not you are, ask yourself this: do I try to avoid correcting my child’s behavior by constantly redirecting him to other activities? If the answer is yes- join the club.)

Here’s the deal. Any mother or father can be an excellent, effective and kind disciplinarian. In fact, once you become one, you will have a much closer relationship with your child. Why? Here’s a fact every child knows: a child trusts a parent she respects far more than one she doesn’t. And when a child trusts her parents, she not only respects and leans on them more, she asks for their advice more readily and feels more secure about her own life.

To find out about the discipline strategies I have devised, go to thestrongparentproject.com and subscribe today. Because we all need help.