Proper child training is the best way to enforce good behavior. Being prepared to carry out consequences for kids – both natural and created – when the need arises will significantly lessen inconsistency, help eliminate constant yelling and prevent frustration.
For parents, it can be frustrating when you put your child in time-out multiple times in a day and they don’t seem to care. How infuriating is it when they still think of the situation as a joke, especially when you take away their privileges? This disappointment will make any parent think of themselves as a failure. When children disobey your orders and they don’t seem to listen, you think of yourself as a weakling when it comes to parenthood.
Most parents often feel that whatever consequences they enforce have no effect. Like any accomplishment, helping your child make the right choices is a lot easier with strategic plans. Sometimes, making a few changes to the way you discipline your child will greatly impact your child’s behavior.
Here are 6 consequences that will work effectively for your kids. You may tweak a few of these to suit your child’s individual needs.
Consistency is the Key
Consequences – both positive and negative – only work well if implemented consistently. If you only take their privileges twice out of the three times that they are naughty, they will not learn. This inconsistent imposition of punishment will send your child a message that you are not serious, and that you can still be persuaded into changing your decision. It is important to give your child appropriate consequences every time they break a rule. By being consistent with your actions, you are helping your kids learn that bad behavior will never be tolerated.
Loss of Privileges
Your child has individual needs and parenting should adapt to their specific needs. Same goes with giving consequences. This strategy has been known to effectively regulate a child’s behavior. When your child starts breaking a rule, take away privileges based on what your child considers one. If privileges in your family include video games, ice cream, TV, or other luxuries, set a rule at home that those privileges are only for acceptable behavior. Teach your children an important lesson by educating them to “work” within their capabilities. Show them that by displaying good behavior, respect, manners, obedience, etc, their efforts will be rewarded.
Give Enough Positive Attitude
A healthy and happy family is built on the foundation of love and respect. And if you have this at home, enforcing consequences on your child will be much more effective. Aim to have at least 15 minutes of positive time with your child. It could be a walk in the park or a bedtime story. Go down memory lane and look at old photos together. Whatever activity you do together, make sure you have your child’s undivided attention. A healthy family is a fundamental element in a child’s discipline.
Take the Fun Away
This kind of consequence helps train the child to understand desirable outcomes. This works better if you are in a public location. Take the fun away from your child if they start throwing away toys or hitting a playmate. Gently tell them that they must not throw away toys or you will take it away from them.
Give Immediate Consequences
The best kinds of consequences are immediate. Taking away your child’s weekend with grandpa will not be as effective as taking away their toy right now. By doing this, you are making sure that your child remembers the reason why they were given consequences. If it’s delayed by a few days, chances are your child will forget what rule they violated in the first place.
Switch up Discipline Routine
When used too often, consequences will be less effective. When you only take away their privileges for every bad behavior, they might lose motivation to earn them back. Time-outs may also be not as effective when given multiple times throughout the day. Try switching up routines, especially if your child needs frequent discipline. Other tools such as active ignoring, rewards, or praise can also be used.
Consequences are not there to make your child feel embarrassed, unloved, or humiliated. When given and implemented the right way, your child may soon realize that you mean business. They will make kids realize that the bad choices they make are not tolerated. While not every kind of consequence may work for every child, having a handful of consequences that are highly effective in your back pocket is important. After all, all human beings want more of the good and less of the bad – and that is true for little kids.
Akers Academy is an instrumental organization that will help your child with proper behavior training.
