Major Issues in the Discipline - Essay Example

Discipline is more than just administering punishment whenever rules are broken, it's more about the upbringing and general guidance that’s given to an individual that can enable him to choose right from wrong.

To have effective discipline, love and not anger should be the guiding factor. Most parents are expected to punish their children whenever they misbehave. They end up using physical punishment as a form of discipline when irritated by their children. Physical punishment is just a temporary measure of correction that does not teach children the right values. Physical punishment can cause physical, mental, or emotional injury. It can even lead to death. Children learn from adults and can take this as the only way of solving conflicts. Once punished, a child may feel he has paid for the misbehavior and may want to do it again. It’s also hard to use physical punishment once a child grows up. It is common knowledge that eliminating undesirable behavior without having a desirable strategy to stimulate more desirable behavior is generally ineffective (American Academy of Pediatrics, 724). Mistakes committed are good avenues to learn if children are guided properly without using physical punishment.

Consequences can be used as one of the positive ways to instill discipline in children. Consequences are different from punishment since they involve learning through experience. It teaches children to make their own decisions and take responsibility for their behaviors. The consequences can only be positive discipline if parents can learn to be calm, attentive, and good listeners. The parents should be ready to accept the solutions of their children as it’s a learning experience. Parents need to communicate the consequences of breaking certain rules to their children. Children can learn from natural consequences or logical consequences arranged by parents. Punishment does not give choices.

Discipline is not all about making one obey; it’s preparing an individual to live their lives in full but within the set limits. One should be concerned more with finding solutions and not the consequences of going out of the boundaries. Discipline involves raising children into dependable adults. Parents should encourage dialogue and be friendlier to their children. It should be understood that effective discipline is more efficient in cultivating a good culture in children as compared to punishment. (Talbot and Talbot, 138) states that ‘responsibility is not taught it’s a developmental process’.