Raise them right

We might not all be parents, but we are all most probably someone’s aunt, uncle, grandparent or elder sibling. Therefore, we all have some involvement in a child’s upbringing and would benefit from knowing the right way to discipline, or help to discipline, a child. This week we offer some good tips on how to guide a child in the right, fair way.

First off you have to be firm. This involves setting reasonable boundaries and limits and then enforcing them in the correct way. Consistency is very important. The child must have the same rules with both parents and not be able to get away with things with a certain parent and not the other one.  

Calmness must always be shown when speaking to a child. Screaming and shouting can cause long-term damage that no child deserves. Make sure you are criticising the behaviour and not the child themselves. It’s important to know a child’s triggers for tantrums and anger spells. Tiredness, hunger and boredom are all factors which affect children’s behaviour so try to keep them to a minimum.

Remember that you are the adult in the relationship and you need to act like one. Do not resort to behaving like a child. And whatever you do, never ever resort to bribing. Bribing a child will end up encouraging naughty behaviour when a child simply wants something.

While there is no user manual on how to raise a child, we hope these tips will prove useful some way or another. Read on to learn about some more important ways to help children behave the best they can.