There are many ways parents and guardians can discipline their children without hitting, spanking, popping or otherwise inflicting physical or emotional pain. "Positive Discipline" refers to these non-physical ways. Although physical or corporal punishment is very common in the United States in every cultural group and at every income level, many parents and guardians have come to realize that discipline without pain works.

HCCAPC believes that the purpose of discipline is to teach children how to control their own behavior. When parents rely on physical punishment, children don't always learn what they did wrong and what to do the next time. Or, children just figure out how to do the inappropriate behavior without getting caught.

Here are some quick suggestions for positive discipline:

FOR INFANTS:
1. Pick up your crying infant. It is impossible to spoil an infant (birth to 9 months) by holding and cuddling them.      Babies need to be held just as much as they need to be fed and changed.
2. When your baby is crying, he is not trying to give you a hard time. She is letting you know that she needs something. Focus on what she needs, rather than stopping the crying. Never shake your baby to stop her crying.
3. Avoid describing your baby as "Bad."

FOR TODDLERS AND OLDER CHILDREN:
1. Reward or acknowledge positive behavior. Remember, the behavior you pay attention to will be the behavior your child repeats.
2. Ignore or punish negative behaviors. Effective punishments include time out and removing privileges or activities.
3. Set limits on your child's behavior. Explain the reason.
4. Establish a few (not more than 5) clear, specific rules which you can enforce. Rules that tell children what TO do are more effective than rules which say what NOT to do.
5. Say "Yes" when you can and "No" when you must.
6. Be polite and speak respectfully to your child.
7. Model the behaviors you want your child do. Children learn by watching and imitating.
8.Make sure your child is physically, emotionally and intellectually capable of doing what you want her to do.

Call or email us to arrange a workshop on these and other Positive Discipline tools.

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