- Image via Wikipedia
You have come to a decision: your child — that wild little cherub — cannot be disciplined. He defies all attempts; he refuses all warnings. You have tried… everything, have followed the advice of books and fellow parents. Nothing has worked, however. No progress has been made. Every single idea has been a disaster, offering no results. Your child hasn’t been afraid of any punishment. He’s merely laughed at them, uncaring as you threaten all of the common things, the familiar consequences. They don’t worry him.
It’s time then to find something that does.
Your child is unique. He can’t always be predicted therefore by the societal standards; he can’t always be offered the same rules. What may work for other sons and daughters will be of no concern to him. He won’t conform to the usual fears. Instead he’ll be immune to them.
It is your duty then to understand precisely what his interests are and to use them as punishment. All forms of discipline must be tailored to your child — each meant to have an obvious (and immediate) effect on his mood. This isn’t the usual time-outs or the always to be avoided spanking. This isn’t an excuse for screaming. It’s instead a creative approach to enforcing the rules and proving them to be valid.
Know what your child most loves: books, films, video games, a specific toy or even an activity. Understand his most prized experiences and then take them away (not permanently, of course). Explain why this must be done; keep your voice calm; and then remove what he wants. Cancel a trip to the beach. Deny him a favored doll. Refuse him dessert. Target what he most enjoys and then stress how it can be lost.
This is not a cruelty. It is instead a realization. Your child will understand the gravity of the situation because it finally relates directly to him. Make it personal to make an impression.
