Children's behaviour & discipline

Just came across some good DVD's about children behaviours and how it has changed over the years. It's interesting to discover that as Nigel Latta (Politically Incorrect Parenting Show) said the word punishment has vanished from our vocabulary. Academics will frown at the word 'time out', most would disagree on smacking, this is something quite common growing up in my generation. Carrot and sticks always work in training animals, humans are fundamentally animals too, rewards will encourage our behaviours, and pain will put us off from certain behaviours. But wait, we don't treat our children like animals! Funny thing is sometimes we treat animals like our children.

As parents, I think we try our best not to encourage certain bad behaviours/ habits in our children. I think I try to avoid doing things to my children that I didn't like my parents did on me while growing up.

The method learned from Toddler Taming is to ignore bad behaviours as best we possibly can, in other words, do not give attention for bad behaviour. Dr. Christopher Green also recommends time out, as long as it's done with reasons and not too much. After viewing those 2 DVDs, I think toddlers behave like us too, when we don't get what we want, we'd be unhappy, but instead of throwing tantrum, we act differently. And when we're angry or upset, we need sometime to cool off too, I think this is how I see time out now.

One chapter I particular like is the 'Discipline - Putting Parents in Charge" from Toddler Taming as sometimes I felt like my toddler is in charge of me. From now on, I'll try to ignore whenever my toddler is throwing a tantrum, with a bit of explanation as of why as well, and maybe asking her to join back when she's less upset.