Disciplining Misbehaving Children

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that encouraging children verbally instead of punishing them is often more appropriate for children who are very young, but there is no specific age at which discipline or punishment is actually appropriate. The author points out that the best way for parents to decide whether or not to utilize punishment is to determine whether the punishment conveys the idea that the behavior in question was unacceptable and that the parent is not happy about being required to punish the child. The paper stresses that, generally, parents who punish their children more often than once a week may need counseling for issues relating to the strictness of the rules that they have or the over-punishment of children who may not deserve it.

From the Paper:

"Another thing that is extremely significant when punishing the child, however, is to investigate what reasons the child actually had for misbehaving. For something that is a normal part of development such as poor speech when a child is first learning to speak, thumb sucking, or toilet training accidents, a child should never be punished. Children should also not be punished for something that is truly accidental. When punishing the child the child should understand why the punishment is required and the explanations should be age appropriate. Punishment should also be fair. If it is directed toward the child it is seen by the child is being cruel behavior and when it is directed toward the misbehavior itself it is often seen as more realistic for the child. Children should never be humiliated or treated as though they are stupid or worthless because they have done something wrong."

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