 | ||
|
| |    Discipline: Avoid Threats by Dr. Benjamin Spock reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Threats tend to weaken discipline. It may sound reasonable to say, "If you don't keep out of the street with your bicycle, I'll take it away." But in a sense a threat is a dare--it admits that the child may disobey. It should impress him more to be firmly told he must keep out of the street, if he knows from experience that his parents mean what they say. Give fair warning When using a penalty, like taking away his beloved bike for a few days, it's better to give fair warning. It certainly is silly, and quickly destroys a parent's authority, to make threats that aren't ever carried out or that can't be carried out. Don't invoke monsters or police Scary threats, such as of monsters and police, are 100 percent wrong in all cases. One of the threats that is scariest to a young child is the threat to be abandoned: "Come right now or I'll leave you here!" The prospect of being left behind, all alone, is terrifying to most young children. This threat undermines a child's sense of security in a fundamental way. How can a child trust a parent to protect him in a dangerous world if that parent is capable of walking off? It is much better to pick up the child, put him in the stroller (even kicking and screaming!), and go where you need to go. Click here to join the discussion on Discipline
| |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| About Us |
Contact Us |
Our Partners Privacy Policy | Ethics | Advertising Policy | Terms of Service © Copyright 2004 The Dr. Spock Company. All Rights Reserved. THIS SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. The information drSpock.com
provides is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for
professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your health care
professional if you have a specific health concern. Mention or advertisement
of any product, service, or brand does not constitute endorsement, guarantee,
or recommendation by The Dr. Spock Company. Please read our full
Terms of Service. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
