Parenting young children has some unique challenges these days.
Talking Points:
- One of the bedrock principles of disciplining young children is consistency. The hardest part of being consistent is the constant energy it takes to calmly reiterate and reinforce rules and boundaries
- You have to follow through with consequences. Your child needs to understand that mom or dad will punish them and will indeed stand their ground when the rules are broken.
- Kids don’t need to be yelled at or demeaned to understand they aren’t behaving well. Oftentimes a gentle approach with clear and calm instructions can help change behavior much more quickly than an explosive outburst.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Have you ever lost your temper with a child? How did they respond?
- What kinds of discipline have you tried that worked really well? Give an example.
- What kinds of discipline have you tried that didn’t work very well? Give an example.
- Why does consistency matter? What is likely to happen if you aren’t?
- Why does being calm matter when talking to children? Explain.
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
This topic is adapted from the Parents YouTube channel.
