Posted on 01/09/2007 12:21:16 PM PST by Paddlefish
Great billboard ! and true...
Effective discipline starts with Mom at the earliest of ages. Then Dad, if available, usually does a better job in the later years but Mom still can't turn into a weenie or she'll get walked over.
I have seen a lot of single moms do a very good job of discipline. Look at all the inner-city kids who speak glowingly of their mom or grandma as a strong influence on their positive outcome.
Yes, Dads are necessary but if one is not available, Mom needs to do it.
OK, I'm with you then.
["You know you're not supposed to do X. You can knock it off right now and everything will be fine, or you can keep doing it, and get punishment Y." As the oldest, I felt it my duty to test them. I tested away. I ALWAYS got punishment Y.]
Same here. My three younger siblings should be forever grateful to me for being the pioneer who showed them what to do... and what not to do.
:^)
A third of the American public doubts everything and everything because that is what they were taught to do in public school and they have never learned to accept reality for what it is, instead thinking that reality is whatever they want it to be.
Don't ever let this principle take root in your kids. There are numerous things you can do that you should not let your kids do, and rightly so.
Look at the context. We're talking about discipline; right and wrong. Kids are able to see though the BS of hypocrisy pretty easily, and they rebel against it.
Yes, there are lots of things grown-ups do that kids shouldn't, but they must live up to the basic "rights and wrongs" if they expect their kids to. (Telling the truth, respecting others, avoiding physical violence, etc.)
There's a clear difference between telling your child that he's too young to drive a car, but you can, and telling your child that it's bad to steal, then shoplifting his birthday present. Kids understand that difference, and so do you.
I agreee that clear, consistant, fair rules need to be communicated with eye contact.
Nothing worked better with my two boys. I would call them by their first name, get their attention, tell them to look at me, I would look them directly in the eye, and let them know exactly...in clear terms, what I wanted them to do or to stop doing, and end with "Do you understand?".
This still works today with my younger 16 year old son.
If God be for us, who can be against us?
--Romans 8:31 KJV
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