Parenting
Discipline Dos and Don’ts
Dr. Phil adds, "What you've got to do is say, ‘You are being such a good little girl. You are watching TV so quietly,' or ‘You're playing so nice. I'm so proud of you. Thank you.'
Remember the Three Bs
Dr. Borba says that when putting your child down for the night, these three rituals can be helpful: brushing teeth, reading a book to calm her or him and then it's bedtime. You have to change the behavior so you can rebuild the harmony in the family.
Dr. Phil says make sure not to transition too fast from playtime to bedtime. "You don't go take a child off the top of the jungle gym, running around like their hair is on fire, and lay them down to go to bed. The contrast is too great," he warns.
Stay Calm
No matter how loudly your child is hitting or acting out, you must remain calm and cool. If you stick to a plan and your child knows you're serious, you'll find it takes less and less time for your kids to settle down. "Remember, you are in control," Dr. Borba stresses.
Enforce Time-Outs
When you place a young child in time-out, don't give him or her a ridiculous amount of time, such as an hour or two. Time is a difficult concept for youngsters to grasp, so keep the length short, around three to five minutes. You can also invest in a timer, so your child can have a visual aid to either see when the time-out is over, or realize that if he or she misbehaves, the timer will be reset to the beginning.
