Alternatives to Punishment

Better behavior without punishment is possible. It takes commitment, connection and a focus on cooperation. Children naturally follow the guidance of those they trust. Children also want to learn and grow, especially when they feel connected to you. The alternatives to punishment you find in this section will focus on real solutions and learning tools, to help children feel more connected, capable and cooperative.

Why take a positive approach to discipline and find alternatives to punishment? Studies show that children that are raised with inflexible, punishment based discipline have lower self-esteem and struggle with making good decisions on their own. The alternatives to punishment in this section are all aimed at helping you find the confidence you need when setting limits and boundaries. And keeping a loving, respectful, thriving relationship with your child.

The Best Discipline Strategy When Children Become Aggressive

by Ariadne Brill

Inside: How To Use Positive Discipline To Respond to Aggressive Behaviors in Toddlers and Young Children It’s quite normal for toddlers and preschoolers to struggle with aggressive behavior from time to time. When your child acts aggressively it is typically a sign that she is feeling upset, scared or overwhelmed. Many parents worry that aggressive…

3 Examples of Positive Parenting in Practice

by Ariadne Brill

Positive Parenting tools can help you prevent power struggles and encourage your child to be cooperative. Do you like the idea of positive parenting but not sure how to put into practice in every day interactions? Here are some positive parenting examples: Like most families, in my home there are moments that are challenging. Sometimes…

How to Discipline when your Child Tells Tall-Tales, Fibs and Lies

by Ariadne Brill

Understanding why children tell lies and how to discipline in a way that fosters honesty and healthy development. “My room was full of flying dragons last night, they knocked over the books, not me!” Children often tell fibs, stretch a tale and blame mysterious creatures for misbehaviour. Lying, is actually a sign of intelligence. While…

Three Real Alternatives to Spanking

by Ariadne Brill

Last week I read an article in Healthland/Time about Parents Spanking Their Kids. Very honestly, I did not find it surprising to read about parents that admit to using corporal punishment because I am very aware that it happens, across all socio- economic levels and different cultures.I do however find it unfortunate both for the…

Toddlers making Trouble: 11 Helpful Alternatives to Timeout

by Ariadne Brill

Toddlers don’t really mean to be making trouble, they spend their days trying to understand and discover their environment, their place and space in the world.
Often, it’s hard to know how to best handle the messy, sassy, yucky situations. Time outs are so popular in the toddler years, yet just placing a toddler in the corner or on a naughty chair is unlikely to prevent a re-occurance as toddlers will not really learn by pouting all alone

3 simple Ideas to Encourage Children to Help with Chores

by Ariadne Brill

Children often enjoy doing household tasks because it gives them a sense of belonging and a feeling of capability. Yet, many families feel that chores lead to power struggles and are a hassle to deal with. The problem with chores very often has to do with how we parents approach the whole idea of chores…

Helping Your Toddler Self Regulate and Learn to Manage Anger and Aggression

by Ariadne Brill

Inside: Understand the feelings behind aggressive behaviors and help your toddler manage big meltdowns and fits of anger. On a sunny, beautiful morning, Mariah was on the floor, in a pile of tears. Her little hands stretched wide reaching desperately for Jenny. More accurately, reaching for the apple and egg in Jenny’s hands. Because for…

How to Help Your Child With After School Meltdowns

by Ariadne Brill

After school meltdowns are quite common for children from preschool to middle school. Here is what you need to know to handle these after school meltdowns and help your child feel better again. Children can experience quite the emotional ups and downs while away from you. Maybe a classmate didn’t want to share a toy, an…

Encouraging Better Behavior When Your Child Acts Out

by Ariadne Brill

How to help a child who is acting out by setting clear, kind limits and offering positive guidance. Walking out of school, I noticed my son had an envelope in his hand. As he handed it to me with a shy but determined smile he said: “Mom, this is for you. I wrote you an an…

Discipline for Young Children: 12 Alternatives to Time Outs

by Ariadne Brill

Here are twelve alternatives to time outs that give parents and children a chance to address choices and situations with the intention to offer guidance while maintaining a positive, respectful and peaceful connection. These alternatives are mostly geared towards children aged 1 to 6 years but also work well beyond that too.

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