10 Common Discipline Mistakes Most Parents Make

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Discipline mistakes that most parents make are very typical. You can almost see a trend in the kind of discipline mistakes most moms and dads make. It is a like a vicious cycle of the same old common parenting mistakes getting repeated. Parenting is a difficult task. It needs just as much effort as your job. So, if you look for short cuts, you will end up making some crucial parenting mistakes that most other parents make.

Disciplining the child is one of the main areas of concern for parents. It is hard to tell how much discipline is too much or too little. In fact, every child needs to be disciplined based on their individual needs. You cannot have a copybook style of parenting or imposing discipline on every child. That is why discipline mistakes that most parents make come from generalising certain known concepts.

THINGS PARENTS SHOULD NEVER SAY TO KIDS

If you want to avoid these discipline mistakes that most moms and dads make very often, you need to understand your child better. And always remember; only you can understand what is best for your child. These common parenting mistakes are made by parents because they are too flustered to put their full concentration into parenting. These are basically short cut methods to discipline the child.

Here are some of the discipline mistakes that most parents make but you should not.

Disciplining When Angry

As they famously say, never take decisions when you are angry because they are most often wrong. So, you must never yell at the child or try to discipline him or her when you are angry. It is best to give a time out while you calm down your nerves and think clearly.

Empty Threats

Never threaten the child with a form of punishment that you will not practise. For example; do not say that ‘I will take away that toy if you don't stop' if you do not intend to act on this threat. The child learns quickly that it is an empty threat.

Not Following What You Preach

If you make the rules, you cannot break the rules yourself. If you say that your kids cannot watch television after 10 pm at night, then make sure you do not do that either.

Talking Too Much

Do not lecture the child too much. Children hate ‘gyaan' or lengthy lectures about why they must or must not do something. Simple instructions with a good incentive will be much more effective.

Telling Lies

Do not build up stories about the boogeyman or tell a lie just to save time. The day the child grows old enough to understand that there are no boogeymen in the world, they will stop trusting you forever.

Pushing The Other Parent

You must have heard comments like ‘Do this or I will tell dad when he comes home' very often. Never ever push the other parent in front as the villain because the child will lose respect for you.

Parenting Differences

Do not let your parenting differences affect the child's disciplining. If you are disciplining the child, your spouse should not interfere and you must follow the same rule.

Bribing Too Much & Too Often

It is alright to use small bribes and treats from time to time is an effective parenting strategy. However, if you give lavish bribes for everything you want the child to do, soon he or she will not do anything without an incentive.

Delayed Response

Your child is hitting his or her sibling for a long time and you have been ignoring them because you are doing some work. Then, you suddenly get up and yell at the offending child. This kind of delayed response is inconsistent. You must discipline the child immediately when he or she does something wrong.

Doing What Your Parents Did

Never compare the children today with what you were as a child. If your parents had a curfew time of 8 pm for you, it doesn't mean the same will work with your children. You need to talk to other parents of this generation instead of trying follow what your parents did.