One of the most important things parents absolutely have to do when raising Children is to properly discipline them. Enforcing discipline is not only crucial for keeping the peace and quiet in the house, especially if you have more than two kids, it also immensely helps your child grow as an individual. Having said that, to be fair, we also have to admit another thing – at some point, like it or not, disciplining your child becomes a chore you do reluctantly, not because you’re sorry for your child, but because it’s boring.

For that reason precisely, a lot of parents nowadays see imposing discipline as equivalent to punishment. Thus, forbidding your child from doing something or grounding them have become the most popular ways to ‘discipline’ your children. What’s even worse, it is widely accepted that such methods of punishing misbehavior are effective. The truth, however, is that if you’re one of those parents, you’re not helping you or your children at all. Harsh punishments will not create regret in your children. On the contrary, imposing overly harsh punishment will make your child resent you. And if you keep sticking to these old tricks, there is a good chance that your little ones will grow distant from you.

The Better Alternative to Punishment

Often you can win over your children by showing them your affection and love. And that, dear parents, is a lengthy process. So here are some interesting and fun ways to set boundaries that are to be obeyed and respected.

#1 If you need to make your children do something they might not like, try singing instead of saying whatever you want to say. That will take the edge of your command voice and put both you and your child at ease.

#2 Have you ever had to wait in line somewhere with your child, at the bank or at the grocery store for example? Often times in such situations parents just want to be left alone. And because of that they demand their kids to be obedient and to stand beside them peacefully, without making a sound. But it’s not that easy for a kid to stand still, doing nothing. Here is when the problems start. To avoid that, give your child your undivided attention. That’s the perfect time to try to bond. So, make up a game and have some fun together.

#3 It’s also a great idea to start teaching your children to be responsible from an early age. One way to do it is by letting them plan things. For example, ask them to decide when will they help you clean your home or at least their room. By letting them make the decision they’ll feel more secure and confident.

Recently me and my family went on a holiday trip to Sydney and I decided to try something new. So, wherever we went I put my daughter in charge of time keeping (she just learned about the clock and time in general). It was a good practice and a good way to teach her about being responsible.

#4 You can empower your children and at the same time teach them not to nag you about money by giving them a budget. If you’re shopping when on a vacation give them some money and make it clear that that’s all they’re going to get. That will teach them to be careful money-wise. Plus, it’s great fun to see the looks on their faces when you surprise them with some outrageous budgets.

#5 Last, but probably most important of all, make yourself spend more time with your children. Whatever chores you have on your hands, ask for your children’s help and make it fun for them. Whether it be cooking, cleaning or doing the laundry, you have a lot of options. Don’t forget to play, laugh and smile.

Share some of your experience, do you have any ways of making discipline fun?