The Importance Of Discipline In The Home Environment
The fundamental thing in the relationship between us, moms, and our children is to prepare them for life. The truth is that someday our little ones will be adults who will seek their own horizons.
But to get there, they must learn a set of lessons that include: school education, comprehensive preparation, social behavior and, above all, values. The idea is to provide the tools for them to seek success in each goal they set themselves in life.
Thus, to achieve this purpose, it is necessary to have discipline. Basically, the discipline consists of applying a set of behavior rules to maintain a general order of everything that is assumed to obtain the best results.
to discipline is to teach
Therefore, from this perspective, establishing norms is part of a long and continuous educational process . The ideal is to carry out the process gradually. That is, starting with rules and little responsibilities and then raising the bar as the child grows.
It’s not about punishing or being inflexible. At the same time, you won’t contribute much to your child’s development by being flexible at all. It takes balance.
In this way, discipline allows us to establish a moral balance, with which we reward what is right and punish what is wrong. However, we must keep in mind that we must never settle with hostile or misunderstanding authoritative conduct.
Advice for giving discipline to the little ones
Every rule you apply should be in keeping with the child’s age and abilities. Overreacting can be as destructive as not disciplining, or even worse.
Constancy should guide your actions. No hesitation or contradicting an order. Otherwise you would be breaking patterns of appropriate behavior. When you say “no”, it must mean “no”.
Another fundamental aspect of the discipline is that it must be logical and rational. It’s not an act of whimsy or control with your little one. So, there must be a reasonable explanation for what you are asking for as a mother or father . That is, it cannot be an arbitrary act.
Set limits
In addition to setting tasks, norms and instilling values, it is essential to set limits. It is important for children to understand that their actions affect others and that things are not always as they think.
This reinforces the idea that they do not live alone in this world, but in a society. This means that they must at all times be considerate and respectful of each person around them.
In the long run, they will also be able to be compassionate, practicing empathy. This ability to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” will allow them to understand the reality of other people.
The main parameters are not to harm others or yourself. We have to make children understand that not cleaning themselves, not studying, being rude or not contributing is an evil that affects them and society in general.
Differentiate between intentional and error
Parents should try to differentiate when the child causes intentional harm and when it makes a mistake, an omission or an oversight. Corrective actions will depend on this, and carelessness should have milder responses.
When a child causes intentional harm, he is likely to be copying someone else and may not be aware of his actions . The rebuke, therefore, should be more forceful, but accompanied by the correct message.
The important thing is that the child understands the consequences of his actions. In turn, there needs to be two-way communication to understand her point of view as well . If the mistake affects those around you, “a sincere apology” should be demanded, including a commitment that the situation will not happen again in the future.
But when a child commits an oversight or omission, the ideal is to explain what he did wrong so that he understands what happened and the implications of the fact. The important thing is to warn you to pay more attention.
In short, these are some fundamental principles when establishing discipline at home. It is important that we are constant and consistent, not forgetting that each person is usually a reflection of their parents and their childhood experiences.
