Raising Good Kids in Tough TImes - 4

Raising Good Kids in Tough Times

By Dr. Roger McIntire

Punishing Children Properly

What's a parent to do when the children misbehave? Physical punishment like spanking and slapping is only an option if the person is small enough. As the child gets older and bigger, parents who spank their children have to look for alternatives and by then the disadvantages have accumulated - the worst being that the child imitates the parent!
"Get Tough" advocates are on the wrong track for several reasons. First, a child faced with physical punishment becomes afraid. Learning slows and creativity stops because it's too risky to stick your creative neck out if your mistakes will be punished!
Second, the hard-line approach will be, must be, inconsistent. A parent cannot, and should not, be consistent with punishment. Without the inconsistencies of warnings, threats and postponements, the rules are too inhuman. Yet with the "verbal decorations" the game and the power struggle begin.
Third, punishment is, of course, insulting. It belittles the child and lowers his value of himself. That's why adults are so insulted if you try punishment on them! The child defends himself, attempts to escape, or tries to "win" the game. Parents can "win" the power struggle, but for every winner a loser is made! And losers eventually call in absent.
Other side effects may include anxious nail-biting, hair-twirling, and distractions that allow children to ignore parents such as video games and TV.
The adult alternatives are much better. For example, if you come to my house for dinner tonight and spill your drink at the table, you don't expect me to say: "Hey! What do you think you're doing? You're so clumsy! Now pay attention to what you're doing or I'll send you home!"
What nerve! Treating a guest like a child! What happened to "making amends?" "The benefit of the doubt?" You expect me to belittle the problem.
"I'm sorry, do you have a towel?"
"No problem, I'll take care of it..."
We deal with the mistake together as a third thing, not you, not me.
Ignoring is also an adult strategy, but it has to be used carefully. If a parent plans to ignore the bad behavior, the usual amount of acting up will no longer get the attention the child seeks, and he may escalate the volume! Parents may revert to punishment for this higher level and then return to the ignoring rule only to go back to punishment when the volume again reaches pain threshold.
We all know families where this power struggle is out of hand. To make the ignoring plan work, you need to emphasize the positive, giving praise when your child behaves well. Considering all the possible mistakes, a child isn't much closer to good behavior by just being told, "Wrong!"
When bad behavior can't be ignored, and making amends and hoping for opportunities for encouragement are not enough, try a time out. Most parents are familiar with the drill of putting the child on a chair or in his/her room for a little cooling off and isolation. This can work well if the time out is short so that threats, arguments, and other verbal decorations that often precede it can be kept to a minimum.
Many parents have found the act of starting the time-out, putting the child in the chair or room, is the effective part. Ten or 15 seconds is enough for two-year-olds, and one minute is enough for four, five, and six-year-olds. The message was sent when the prompt decision was made and we are more likely to act promptly and consistently when our consequence is moderate.
The best parental strategy will include praising the good behavior, ignoring the tolerable, and reacting with logical, mild, and consistent reprimands to the bad.

Copyright: Summit Crossroads Press. For permissions contact Summit Crossroads Press at 1-800-362-0985 or for other information, visit Parentsuccess.com on the net, or contact Dr. McIntire or the publisher by e-mail: sumcross@aol.com