Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Hi everyone, I was having a discussion with my husband recently about disciplining our child who is 2 yrs 3 months old. Our toddler is beginning to test us and as parents we want to be on the same page about discipline. I guess they don't call it the terrible twos for nothing. I would like to hear your opinion and the strategies you use to control your children.

Thanks

Hello..
You should understand that how you behave when disciplining your child will help to determine how your child is going to behave or misbehave in the future. Be consistent in your methods of discipline. Stay calm and do not get carried away when your child misbehaves. Avoid yelling and screaming, since this can teach your child that it is all right to lose control if you don't get your way.

my two year old has a bad temper and snaps at anything... i have tried using time out with a naughty matt but that never worked.... he cracked up big time just the other day and so i got down to his height and said mummy thinks you need to go into your room and calm down,he held my hand still cracking up but was happy too go to his room i said to him you can come out when you have settled down... shut the door and left after about 5 mins he settled down and came out by himself... now if he cranky or being really naughty i do the same thing again.

i am not a mother but i know how i do it at work which is what i would do if i had kids at home

1. always talk to a child at his level, dont stand up and talk down at them, its highly intimidating for a child esp in a discipline situation
2. always explain why u r doing what u r doing, eg i am sorry but that behaviour (whatever it is, hitting your sister, throwing something and breaking it during a tanty etc ) is unacceptable
3. remove them from the situation and take them to a different room or place
4 tell them they have to remain there and when they are ready to say sorry and then follow the rules they can come back

always make sure the rules are clear to children, so often we change rules to suit the situation, for children this is highly confusing, why is one rule applicable at X time but not Y? they dont get it.
so make rules and dont break them yourself!
children learn by example, if you are polite & respectful to your child they will follow suit
and
always stay calm, there is always the urge to lose it sometimes with children cos they really know how to push us sometimes but remain calm and do not start screaming at them
also act immediately, as soon as you see the issue, u cannot finish what u r doing then go and discipline them, saying to a child what did u do then (5 mins ago) will probably elicit nothing as they wont even remember! so u need to act on the spot

once again i am not a mother but these are techniques many teachers use and there is no reason they do not work at home

lol I often wonder if i would lose my cool with my own children .... just because you can IYKWIM anyway I guess I may never find out but those are my tips to dealing with discipline, home or school