More Articles: Behavior, Manners, and Discipline
Articles:
Question: My daughter is constantly whining! Every time she calls "Mooommeeeehh" I have this great desire to change my name or run and hide under the nearest bed! Please don't tell me "she'll out grow it," because if the whining continues she may not make it to her next birthday.
You've all been there. Your child isn't getting his way. He's crying, yelling, and stomping. As a frustrated parent, you may know, that temper tantrums are a normal childhood reaction to anger and frustration. But knowing this does not make it easier when your child's ballistic contortions are punctuated by her piercing screams. While it's normal for your child to have tantrums, your response to them will determine if she keeps having them and having them and having them...
12 wonderful ideas on how to occupy toddlers and keep them out of mischief.
Have you every been engrossed in a conversation with a friend when your train of thought is interrupted by a little voice pleading, "Can I please have a cookie?" So you patiently and politely inform your little one, "I'm talking honey, I'll be with you in a minute." You turn to your friend to continue your conversation only to hear that little voice again, "I want one right now. I'm hungry." You take a deep breath and sigh, "We'll be having dinner in a little while." Thinking that you've now solved the problem you turn to talk to your (somewhat-perturbed- and-I-can't-say-that-I-blame-her) friend, only to find your own words drowned out by a rather high-pitched voice, "I can't wait until dinner. I want one nowwww."
Good manners are a very important key to your child's social success, but no child is born with good manners. Teaching them is a parents responsibility.
Think back to when you were growing up, and all the times when you felt self-doubt, confusion, and frustration. It's tough growing up! You can help your children get through the bumps and bruises of childhood by simply being there for them. Children need to know that when the whole world feels like it's crashing down around them, they have one safe, secure place to go, and one bottomless source of unconditional love.
One mother's thoughts on whether to use spanking as a form of discipline.
"Yesterday was one of those days," Claire sighed and then paused, as if she was reliving the day. "Everything Joshua did was grating on my nerves. It started as soon as he woke up and came downstairs. The first thing he did was open a new box of cereal and dump it all over the kitchen floor! Then he just stepped all over the mess and poured half a gallon of milk into his bowl. Then he was climbing on the counter-which he knows he's now allowed to do. Next thing you know he's coloring on the kitchen table. The table! No paper in sight! It seemed like I was yelling at him every five minutes. My nerves were raw and I was counting the minutes until bedtime-and then I spotted Josh cleaning his muddy truck in the bathroom sink! We've been through this before, and he knows he's not suppose to bring his muddy trucks in the house."
To discipline is to teach. When we discipline we teach our children to have self-control, to be considerate of others, and to feel secure. A home with no discipline is a recipe for chaos. Parents become exhausted and easily stressed. Children feel out of control, oftentimes exhibiting unacceptable social behavior without any real consequences. As parents we owe it to our family to maintain order. We discipline our kids as a means of setting limits and restoring a state of equilibrium in the home. But how do we effectively discipline? The first step to discipline involves saying "NO". This can be difficult for some parents at first since a verbal "NO" is usually encountered by whining, anger or sobbing from a child. But who said disciplining was an easy task? It is difficult as it involves an array of emotions, but doable since we are mature adults powered by love for our kids. Through our love for our children we are inspired to be positive role models and to discipline with love.
