Things like giving "timeouts" and sending your kid to the room to "reflect" on what he or she has done is not really a punishment at all. Putting them up in the room means they'll just be browsing the internet or playing PS3. Instead, punish them by taking something away that they love, like the aforementioned PS3.
Soothe your baby with your scent. A newborn can recognize the scent of her mother and is soothed by the smell, which makes her feel safe and secure. To help her sleep better or to soothe her while you are away, sleep with her bedding for a night, so it retains your scent.
It is important to live up to any threat that you give your children. Children often act out and need to receive discipline. If you continuously tell your child that there will be a consequence for their action, and it never comes to fruition, they will think that there are no consequences for their actions.
Invite every member of the family you can to participate in your child's school activities. People have busy lives and not everyone will be able to go to everything. However, your child will see that the family is behind him or her in support of whatever he or she is participating in.
If your child suffers from obesity, it's important to help them out of it as soon as possible by exercising with them and cutting down on junk food in the house. Children suffering from obesity at a young age are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease later in life.
Let your children explore their world. Small children tend to get into everything and make a mess. This can be frustrating, but they are learning all about the world that they live in. Give them the freedom to explore and learn on their own. You can always clean up a mess later.
Beginning very early in your child's life, create and institute a series of routines for your family. Routines let everyone know what to expect; Focus on meal time, homework time and bed time in particular. Having consistent routines leads to a well-adjusted and well-behaved child, so make sure to follow through with your plans.
Rather than focusing on punishment to change your child's behavior, put more focus on reinforcing good behavior. By complimenting or rewarding (within reason) your child for good behavior, your child will learn that a specific behavior or way of acting is worthy of merit, and may seek to please you by repeating it in the future.
As mentioned above, no matter what parenting style you choose, you can make it more effective when you seek out new ideas. The key to thoughtful parenting is to recognize that you can always use fresh ideas to make sure your parenting skills are right for you and your child.
