Many first time parents often
wonder at what age they begin to punish their child. Discipline comes out
of love, punishment is out of anger. If you view discipline in this correct
light teaching or training a child to meet moral or mental improvements that
begins at birth. When a child reaches two years old they begin to
understand directives and can reflect back and recall prior instructions
that’s why most moms of 18 month olds sound like a broken record – no
throwing food, no throwing food.
By age three most children can
understand directions and follow through. Not acting as if they are hearing
the instructions for the first time. When discipline your child keep the
following tips in mind – always address the behavior not the child.
Children are never good or bad, it’s their behavior that sometimes stinks.
Be consistent – it takes repeating no throwing food repeatedly but as soon
as you forget to mention it to a child it’s like that rule never existed.
Take the emotion out of
discipline, keep cool and use a firm but calm voice. Don’t try to
rationalize with your child, a child won’t understand the philosophy behind
why we don’t use inappropriate language but they will understand it’s an
unkind word and that we don’t speak unkind words. Keep it simple – keep the
rules and directives clear and easy to understand, say things simply (no
hitting, no biting, no back talk, and no throwing food).
Make sure your verbal and
nonverbal cues line up. Don’t calm a baby while you are saying no biting.
Look him square in the eyes and say no biting. Keep these tips in mind when
raising your child and you will find that when you teach a child your ways
he will grow up and not depart from them.
I’m Michelle LaRowe author of
Nanny to the Rescue for Baby Talk Radio. Be sure to visit my parenting
website at
http://www.michellelarowe.com for real advice for real life.
