My buddy has 10 kids today.
Back when the first or second child was just a very young baby, just able to focus its eyes on things. The baby would see a chain or earring on mom and try to grab it. She’d give the hand a little flick and the baby would react and let go. A few more times of that and the baby stopped.
Point being. They started out early at the youngest of ages, with discipline. As the child progresses, it takes minimal discipline to steer the child in the proper direction.
I have sat in church with them. I’m in the midst of the family and barely notice the kids and my buddy will do a subtle lean forward and look at a child and that is all the warning a child needs.
The old folks call him Super Dad. (They do call his wife Super Mom also)
Their house is a house FILLED with the sounds of running feet and children screeching with delight, as one or another is being chased or tickled or something.
Never heard them yell at their kids, except to get ones attention. Other than that, they’ll raise their voice a little, to put emphasis on what they are saying, but never yelling at their child.
Some might say that a childs temperament has a lot to do with it, which is true. But, when you have tens kids, you pretty much run the gamut of personality traits. And they most certainly have.
Agreed. My rules for discipline for kids are:
1. You usually won’t get it right on the first try, and that doesn’t matter. Think things through, try different ideas, and get it right on the second or third try, then keep it consistent after that.
2. It is a whole lot easier to raise kids well from the start than it is to fix your mistakes once the kids are set in their ways. Put as much energy as it takes into your kids when they are young.
3. Parenting is never about you. Always make decisions based on what is best for your child, not based on how you feel in the moment.
4. Anticipate problems. Instead of reacting when a bored child goes astray, make sure your child is not bored well before you have to react.
I've always wanted a home like that.
Now, as my 3rd (surprise!) child is on the way, I've vowed to forever keep my weiner in my pants.
“10 kids” is child abuse. Children raising chldren. The later children learn primitive grunts as language substitute.
If you listen carefully, you can hear the children who are requesting to be adopted out to a more adult family. Then the requests are turned a joke and never acted on.