If you have done all you can to discipline children and their misbehavior continues, then welcome to the world of parenting. You are not alone in this and almost all parents have the same responsibilities and problems. What you need to understand is that children’s misbehavior is not a failure on your part as a parent, it is not your fault. These behavior problems usually stop after a while or can be fixed with some simple disciplinary actions.
Every child development and parenting book ever published has warned about children who, by the time they turn 18 months, begin to test you by throwing tantrums, being bossy, and ignoring you when you call them. I’m sure it’s very frustrating as a parent to have to experience this, but you have to see it in a positive light and not let it get to you too much. When children start this cycle of their life and have tantrums on top of all of the above, it is actually a period of developmental growth for them and this is where they learn right and wrong, and what their boundaries really mean. Children need to discover how far they can push it and also how far they can go; these boundaries are important to them.
You’ll also want to discipline children before they reach the age of 2, so that even if they have a tantrum once in a while, it won’t be too bad or happen too often. Getting this under control before they reach two years old just means that you will most likely find it easier as they get older.
So how do you discipline children the right way? Try this method next time. Let’s say, for example, that your child keeps going up to the café and you’ve told him not to. She still does. The best thing you can do is remove the table and put it on the other side of the house. If she refuses to put on the jacket after you’ve asked nicely, simply hug her tightly and put it on, all without raising her voice, speaking to her, or showing affection. If she starts crying and yelling, just ignore it and act like her tantrums don’t bother you one bit.
After a while, the tantrums will stop (they get tired of yelling non-stop) and through repetition, children learn that there is a limit to what they are allowed to do and that they are serious.
Another way to discipline children and get them to do what you want them to do is to let them choose one of two options, and either option will have the same end result (what you want them to do). For example, if it’s cold outside and you want your child to wear a hat but he refuses, instead of saying “Do you want to wear a hat?” try “Which hat do you want to wear, the red one or the red one?” The green one? “9 times out of 10, the boy would be misdirected and not put up a fight, because he thinks she made the decisions.
You see, kids that age are trying to gain their independence. It is at this age that they lack the ability to communicate effectively. They want to be like us adults but they can’t and that frustrates them. With patience and persistence with these methods, your efforts will pay off in the future.
