Setting rules for your children in the house is a common way to teach them some discipline but because of the changing world, conventional house rules lose their effectiveness over time. Your kid may be smart enough to reason themselves so you need to outsmart your kid.
Some parents are already trying some new "quirky rules" that are effective for their children at home. These are the kind of rules that gives their child no other best option but to follow. Here are some examples of quirky discipline rules coming from experienced parents and experts that parents can try.
- For whining children, set this rule: "I don't understand your whining so I will listen and talk to you if you are ready to talk properly to me."
According to an experienced parent, Barbara Rowley said, "It empowers your child by suggesting he has something valuable to say (if he says it nicely) and allows you to completely invalidate (i.e., ignore) the rude presentation."
- In putting your kids to sleep early on time, you usually say "kids, it's already time for you to go to bed and mommy needs to rest." Say it instead: "I am no longer allowed to work past 8 PM so you kids should go to bed."
You can creatively tell your kids that all moms are only required by law to work up until 8PM and they can't do anything about it but to follow. In this way, your kids will think of doing their part because it's a rule that was set for you and not for them. Of course, they don't want you to suffer the consequences.
- To discipline your child about cleanliness, try to put away one thing that is important to them if they won't clean up. For example, your child loves to play Lego blocks but he is not returning those in the toy box after playing, so this rule may be implemented: "No playing of your favorite toy for a day if you won't learn to clean up every after playtime."
Kids don't want to sacrifice their favorite toys so they don't get any better option. They have no choice but to follow your rule so that they get a chance to play with their favorite toy again.
- In eating discipline, instead of telling your kid to eat enough or else he can't leave the table, set a rule by saying: "Eat enough because you won't be given any food until the next meal time."
This doesn't mean you are depriving your kid for real from eating when they're hungry but what you are trying to do here is to keep the thought in their mind that they need to eat enough or else, they will be hungry and the next meal time is still hours away.
These are just few examples of quirky discipline rules that can be applied for children that they will likely follow. You can try to create your own quirky rules and just be creative in implementing it to your child.
