There is a special sigh reserved for moms who just disciplined the toddler for hitting, and 17 seconds later he does it again. You know the sigh. It’s usually accompanied by a groan, eyes rolling up to the ceiling, and maybe even some teeth grinding.
And it’s when our hearts cry, “This isn’t working!” We must be doing something wrong. It must be our discipline strategy. It must be time for a change.
Or is it?
Before you go back to the drawing board and completely reinvent your discipline strategy (and read 3,471 blogs on the topic), ask yourself these four questions. Maybe you don’t need a new sticker chart or new creative consequences. Maybe all you need is a new perspective.
How to evaluate your discipline strategy (before starting from scratch)
What’s my motive?
It’s embarrassing when your kid starts flopping like a fish on the floor of Walmart when you take the toy away – but embarrassment should not be our motivation for discipline. Neither should anger, frustration, or pressure from others. These motives blur our discernment. We’re more likely to discipline harshly. Our motive should be love. We can test our motives by asking, “Will
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