I am sure we can all agree that discipline is needed when a child misbehaves. Although there is a big difference between punishment and positive discipline. The goal in positive discipline is to teach the child that they did do something wrong and this needs to be a learning experience to not do it again. Punishment focuses on trying to correct the negative behaviour by giving children an unpleasant punishment which in turn leads to negative emotions from your child. Additionally, punishment can lead to resentment and often rebellion. Not only is harsh punishment viewed as ineffective but it also has been linked to built up aggression in children. Positive discipline involves teaching children how to make good choices and to recognize that their actions have consequences. Children should be taught how to control their behaviour and that there are outcomes to their actions which are tied to their initial choice. This way of disciplining doesn’t rely on fear or threats but encouragement for good behaviour. When the focus is on managing negative feelings and dealing with problems in a calm manner rather than the ‘do it or else…..’ method, the child will build a team relationship with you rather than being against you.
The point of positive discipline is to let the child know that their behaviour is not acceptable and that they themselves need to change their attitude. It works on two main principles encouragement and problem-solving. Remember punishment focuses on what not to do, while positive discipline teaches children what to do in a kind way.
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Our last blog post focused on the topic of play time.
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