Discipline as Encouragement

By holding but not retaliating, the bigger container gains his trust. It can then teach him that there are limits and consequences to his actions. This is a crucial step that he missed as a child. A

Many of us received the message as children that strong displays of emotion are unacceptable and conflicts are to be feared. Unfortunately, this perspective makes it next to impossible to stay unruffled with toddlers, who (as I explained above) need to disagree with us and feel safe expressing their strong emotions. Shifting this paradigm is one of

instead of stopping a child from learning to do things by telling the child he/she is going to get hurt, you could help the child to be successful. Instead of telling a child to be quiet, you could listen to what the child is trying to express.

Successful guidance provides children the safety and comfort they need to flourish. When boundaries work, children don’t need to test them as often. They trust their parents and caregivers; therefore, their world.