Tutu’s Corner

Tutu’s Corner
Positive Discipline – Part 2

Column by Tutu and Me

No matter how proactive you are, no matter how much you plan and prepare to prevent discipline problems, children will always challenge or test you at times. That is part of being a child! When that happens, try to determine the cause of the behavior to help you determine how to respond. Consider the child’s age, temperament, perspective, the particular situation, and your own physical and emotional state before you react.

Try these positive reactive strategies at home:
• Redirect your child to another activity (“Those are Mommy’s books – let’s get one of your books.”).
• “Logical consequences” – let your child know what the consequence of inappropriate behavior will be, and follow through (“If you keep throwing the puzzle pieces around, I will have to put the puzzle away.”).
• Give assistance (“I see it’s hard for you to put all these toys away. I’ll help you. You put one back, and then I’ll put one back. We’ll take turns.”).
• Validate the child’s feelings (“I know you hate to stop playing and leave. But we need to go shopping now.”).

Remember: The goal of discipline is to help the child develop self-control.
Contributions from Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, a program of Partners in Development Foundation. Tutu and Me is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.