Today's topic was "discipline strategies". Odd, I thought this was always the topic. I'm beginning to realise that my method of trial and error, and letting most things slide, and doing everything within reason to avoid freak-outs, is actually not a bad "strategy".
I already know the difference between "discipline" and "punishment" (though they are listed as synonyms in some thesauruses). Discipline teaches, punishment does not. This, to me, means that I don't have to dream up big ominous consequences for any misbehaviours. If he has fun learning not to hit, throw, grab knives off the kitchen counter...that doesn't mean I'm not being strict enough. As long as he's learning.
We were handed a "Problem Solving Model", with steps to prepare us for any discipline issue that might arise: "1. What's happening? 2. Why is it happening? 3. What can you do? 4. What if it doesn't work?" All very well and good, except that you have to go through all this before hand. So not only do I have to predict every little insane thought that gets into William's toddler head, but I also have to plan ahead, something that goes against my nature even more than discipline does. Step 4 even has us thinking up a back-up plan. Gah!
As usual, I shall take all these strategies and only adopt the ones that make sense to me, throwing out all others (of course, I'll pass any literature that agrees with my philosophies on to my husband).
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