Focus on Bad Behavior...Big Mistake

Being a parent involves tasks we are not always prepared for. Discipline is a hot issue! Doing it right can make a big difference in both kids and parents' lives.

I've always being against yelling and spanking. Conversation and positive reinforcement are big components of my personal discipline book. It takes longer but is well worth it! However, I do respect the fact that parents have their own beliefs and choices.

There is a good article published by the New York Times in 2008 about effective discipline. "Many parents’ discipline methods don’t work because children quickly learn that it’s much easier to capture a parent’s attention with bad behavior than with good. Parents unwittingly reinforce this by getting on the phone, sending e-mail messages or reading the paper as soon as a child starts playing quietly, and by stopping the activity and scolding a child when he starts to misbehave." Click here to read the full article.