Some parents lose their temper when their children misbehaved. They scold, scream, or give them physical discipline so their children would be good.
According to American Psychological Association, any forms of physical discipline can cause serious risks to children. These may lead to antisocial behavior, mental health problems, physical injury, and augment aggression for children.
"It's a very controversial area even though the research is extremely telling and very clear and consistent about the negative effects on children," Sandra Graham-Bermann, Ph.D. a psychology and principal investigator for the Child Violence and Trauma Laboratory at the University of Michigan said. "People get frustrated and hit their kids. Maybe they don't see there are other options."
Physical punishment is not the only way to discipline children. Parenting.com shared the following unusual ways to discipline children without spanking:
1. Don't Raise your Voice
When children make orders, sometimes they whine or speak in the way you don't like. This is because they want to catch your attention. Their attitude would naturally annoy you and there is a possibility that you would scream on them. The best thing to do is to speak gently to them. Teach them how they should speak when they want something and not whine. This way requires religious consistency to be effective.
2. Don't Let Your Children Stay in the Room Where You Work unless They Work Too
Most parents do their household chores every day. And children watch TV or play games. To discipline them to help you in your chores, you can give them options, either they would stay in the room and help you or go elsewhere. According to research, most children choose the first option.
3. Set A Sleeping Time for You
Giving rules to your children that they have to go to bed at this time, sometimes would not work, instead of saying this, set a sleeping time for yourself. Tell your children that you have to sleep at this time and you are not allowed to work after that time. And the reading of books, playing games, and listening of stories must be done before your set time of sleeping. Your children would then be conscious of their time too and do their stuff before your set time so that they would still spend time with you in reading books, playing, and listening to stories. In this way, they would go to bed early.
4. Don't Argue About Money
Most children would request from you to purchase toys or something they like every time all of you go out. In this scenario, don't argue over money with them. You just simply say yes or no in a calm manner. If your children protest, just calmly repeat what you have said. In doing this, they would realize that you are invoking some sort of family value.
5. Let not your Children Say "I'm Bored!"
Sometimes you will hear your children say "I'm bored!" Prevent them from saying these words. Teach them to entertain themselves. You may tell your kids, "There is no such thing as boredom only mental laziness." And remind them of the things they can do each day.
