The best way to train children to be more disciplined

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was consulted with - Doctor Le Thu Phuong - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.
As a parent, one of your most important jobs is to train your child to be more disciplined. It is a job that takes time and patience. Don't let your child drift because you think he's too young to understand the rules and consequences. However, to do this will require learning effective and healthy discipline strategies.
Because children are not born with social-language skills, you need to teach your children about appropriate behaviors when they are young. The rules and actions you take now will stick with them throughout childhood and adulthood. In this article, we will provide useful information for parents to have the best way to train their children to be more disciplined in an effective way.

1. Typical Toddler Behavior

Most toddlers have a huge amount of energy hidden in them. They do not stop running, jumping, playing until they are tired. That's why, as a parent, find healthy ways to keep your kids entertained.
Toddlers can be easily overstimulated and sometimes have a hard time regaining their composure. What needs to be done right now is to quickly remove the child from that environment, finding ways to distract the child's attention.
Children in this age group explore things with all their senses especially touch. But a child's developing motor skills, combined with a child's impulsive nature, can lead to injury. So, teach your kids how to touch things safely. Your kids also love asserting their independence. Don't be surprised when your child uses her new speaking skills to say "No" and uses her motor skills to get out of your control.
For all of these reasons, toddlers need to be taught discipline. It helps children cultivate independence and good manners with those around them.

2. How to Discipline Your Toddler

Most parents always wonder about ways to discipline their toddler. There is no one fully proven method of disciplining toddlers because all children are different. You should try a variety of discipline tools and see your child's response to determine which particular method might work best for your child. Children's tantrums can be frustrating if you don't handle them promptly. Here are a few suggestions for you:
2.1. Be consistent When it comes to discipline, it's important to be consistent. As a parent, you need to be consistent in your approach when trying to build discipline in your child. If your reaction to a situation is constantly changing, you can confuse your child with ways to handle the situation.
Toddlers may need constant reminders and testing to change their bad behavior patterns and adopt new behaviors. Establishing a routine for your child will create a routine that will help him behave in a calm and proper manner. You can start from the simplest things like your child's routine to a consistent schedule of mealtimes, playtimes, naps, and bedtimes.
And don't forget that children learn by watching adults, especially their parents. So make sure that your own behavior is the source of the model material your child needs to follow. When you ask your child to pack up his toys, you'll make a much stronger impression if you put your stuff away instead of leaving it all over the room.
2.2. Identifying anger triggers Recognizing common causes or patterns of behavior that upset your child can help you deal effectively with your child. For example, if a toddler is hungry or sleepy, he or she will get agitated. At this time do not try to teach the child because the child will not be able to absorb any instruction. A good way to discipline a child is not to irritate them when they are not in a good mood.
2.3. Develop a sense of self Try getting your child involved in activities you can both do together, such as putting away your child's toys, cooking a meal for him, taking a bath or getting dressed. This can form a feeling that your child is important and that he or she will definitely enjoy your attention. Instead of forcing them, give them choices.
Give your child options to convey to them that you respect their feelings and that they have the right to make decisions in a particular situation.
2.4. Consider your toddler's point of view Children can have a hard time expressing their displeasure, using anger to show their disagreement in a particular situation . For example, if you take a child's favorite ball to say that playtime is over but he still wants to play more and you refuse, the child will show his displeasure by crying. In this situation, put yourself in the child's shoes to understand how he or she is feeling. One piece of advice is that instead of immediately taking the ball away you can signal that playtime is over, your child has 10 minutes to play with the ball before you collect it.
Informing children about what you are about to do will give them time to prepare their minds for obedience, after a few times of doing so, children will have good habits.
2.5 Use distraction If your child is learning to walk towards a dangerous object calmly say "No" and remove your child from the area or distract him with another activity.
It is important not to spank your child. At this age, it is difficult for children to make a connection between behavior and physical punishment. The message you send to your kids when you hit them is that you can hit someone when you're angry and that's really not good at all. Experts say spanking is no more effective than other forms of discipline, such as timeouts.

2.6. Use appropriate language Don't yell at your child, but use short, concise sentences, and memorize your tone of voice enough for your child to listen and act on. Losing control and yelling at children only exacerbates their bad behavior. You may be angry, but take some time to calm down before you talk to your child.
The best approach may be to use a tough tone to condemn the action but not the child. If you want to discipline your child, you must always control your tone.
2.7. Don't forget praise Appreciate your child's good behavior to encourage it to repeat it. For example, praise children when they pick up their own toys and dishes after meals, clean their own room, help their parents with housework, etc. When you appreciate your child, your child will be happy and understand that he has done it. a good deed. This will help the child do even better and will make more progress.
2.8. Show affection Hugs, words of praise, and care meet a child's emotional needs and make him or her feel secure. The freedom to express your love by cuddling, kissing, or simply holding your baby in your arms encourages healthy attachment and good behavior. Careful attention can also promote a child's overall physical and intellectual development.
2.9. Be quiet sometimes. Try to be patient and quiet when your child has tantrums and tantrums for no reason. Not paying attention to children will make them realize that they are not getting the attention they expect. When your child calms down, he will realize his mistake and apologize to you. Sometimes, silence is also a form of discipline for a child.
But beware: Children who are at risk of hurting themselves or others during a tantrum should be taken to a quiet, safe place to calm down. Ignoring is not an appropriate way to handle overly aggressive or dangerous behavior.
2.10. Be a role model Toddlers tend to copy the actions and behaviors of their parents. They learn to respond to situations after seeing their parents' reactions.
For example, how you treat others, how you deal with stress, how you deal with your negative feelings, your toddler is silently observing you and will also behave like so.
Be mindful of your behavior and try to set the right role models for your child to follow. Being a constructive role model for your child can be the best way to discipline your child and inculcate good behaviors in him.

3. A few tips to avoid tantrums in children

Even the best child can throw tantrums. Tantrums often occur during toddlerhood because children can understand more than they can express.
Your toddler can also feel frustrated in different ways like when they can't put together a block the way they want. The best way to deal with tantrums is to avoid them, whenever possible. Here are some tips that might help:
Make sure your child doesn't do anything to attract attention including tantrums. Get in the habit of praising your child when he or she receives attention for positive behavior. Allow children to make small choices. This increases independence and avoids tantrums. When your child is playing or trying to complete a new task, provide age-appropriate toys and games. Also, start with an easy task before moving on to more difficult tasks. This will give them confidence and motivation to try things that might frustrate them. Consider asking carefully when your child wants something. Is it excessive? If not, try to be flexible. Know your child's limits. If you know your child is tired, this is not the best time to try and do an extra chore. It's normal to feel stressed while trying to discipline your child. The first years of a child's life are extremely important, this is the time when a child's personality and behavior develops. So, maintain good behavior in your child through observational learning and compliance.
As their language skills improve and they mature, children get better at handling frustration and tantrums happen less often. If you have trouble handling tantrums or have any questions about discipline, consult your child's doctor.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Articles refer to sources: babycenter.com, parents.com, kidshealth.org