How to Discipline a Preschooler

How to Discipline a Preschooler
By MyQTBB
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. 8 Ways to Handling Your Preschooler(s)
3. Conclusion
Introduction
Children are like the sunshine that lights up
every family’s home. However, we cannot also
ignore the fact that raising young children like
preschoolers, is no easy thing. Preschoolers
pertain to those children from age 4 to 6
years old who already attend school, such as in
nurseries or kindergartens. Unlike toddlers,
preschoolers tend to further expand their mental
abilities as well as develop comprehension,
independence and other rudimentary life skills as
they go along their time in school.
How to discipline a preschooler? This ebook
wants to convey the true essence of child
discipline and the appropriate manners in which
a parent can raise his or her child in and outside
their homes without compromising the overall
safety of the child as a human being deserving
of love and nurturing.
8 Ways to Handling
Your Preschooler(s)
1. Show Your Love
Developmental psychologist Aletha Solter said
that “discipline works best when it’s firm but fair
and when you have a warm and loving
relationship with your child.”
Firstly, you can try acknowledging your child’s
feeling. Acknowledging your child’s feelings
does not make you a permissive parent. As
parents, we don’t really need to ‘agree’ with his
feelings, but at least we must ‘acknowledge’
them. This way, you are letting your child feel
that he is being listened to.
What about getting a
wall easel for your
little artist here?
For example, your child is scribbling on the wall
of your house. As a parent, you will probably be
furious to see that. But, even though you do not
‘agree’ with your child’s feelings and actions at
the moment, you may say to him, “I see you
really have fun scribbling on the wall, but walls
are not the best places for scribbling. Why not do
it on a paper, too?” Afterwards, you can offer him
some papers. Remember, young children have
shorter attention spans on something and when
you offer him another option, he will likely accept
it very quickly.
A warm hug or kiss can do wonders. Every
time after reprimanding your child, you don’t
forget to give him or her a warm hug, as well as
an assurance of how much you love him/her.
2. Lead By Example
‘Leading by example’ can be a way to train our
children to do things in certain ways that we
want them to follow. Preschoolers are at the
stage where they are always full of energy. They
also like to mimic and ‘help’.
Do you need a toy storage
organizer? Get it here.
Donna, 30, would tidy up by putting the toys in
the box in front of her 4-year-old daughter and
soon her daughter would follow. You may also
face a situation in which you’re already keeping
the toys while your child is doing the opposite by
taking the toys out of the box again. If this
happens, try the other way around and hold the
toy box, then hold your child’s hand to lead him
to put the toys back into the box. Gradually, he
will automatically pick the rest of the toys up and
place them where they should be.
3. Explain in Patience
Your child wants to know how the way you
ask him to do something affects him. For
instance, if your child is throwing his toy on the
floor, instead of telling him “you will scratch the
floor, or you will spoil the toys,” try to say
something like “you can’t play with it anymore as
the toy will be spoiled if you throw it this way.”
Besides, you can try describe the problem to
your child. Instead of saying, “please tidy up
your toys,” you may address the problem by
telling your child, “your toys are scattering on the
floors; mummy has no space to walk through.”
Sometimes, it may be challenging to get our
children to obey our instructions. Yet, if you allow
him some freedom to choose or decide for
himself, the problem might be resolved. Giving
options is part of the training in your child’s
development.
For example, there was once a preschooler
about 5 years old playing hide-and-seek in the
grocery store with his parents. The father offered
an option to the child: “Would you like to sit in the
shopping cart and move along with us or we go
home now? Which one would you prefer?” The
child actually ended up behaving and walking by
his parents’ side without playing hide-and-seek
anymore.
4. Let Your Child Experience the
Consequences
If your child misbehaves in certain situations,
perhaps you can let them feel the outcomes of
their actions. For example: Your child didn’t
behave well in the shopping mall last time. Next
time, you may choose not to bring him along with
you and purposely address to him that the
reason you do not bring him along to the
shopping mall is due to his previous
misbehavior.
5. The Distraction Trick
Preschoolers have the propensities to easily get
swayed or distracted. Use this tendency to your
advantage, especially if your child is on the
verge of throwing tantrums or defying what you
ask for. Do this trick in a fun and funny way. You
need to make your child laugh and feel happy
and remember that laughter is the best
medicine, even for “fits of rage.”
As a parent, you know your child’s soft side like
the back of your hand. So, do something silly in
front of your kid, perhaps play a little game, and
share a hearty giggle together. Humor is
definitely an effective diversion and before you
know it, those tantrums are just gone with the
wind.
Your child may like this
digital camera.
Get it here.
For instance, if your child is scowling because
she is not in his best mood, you may try
something funny like taking a candid photo of
her sullen expression and showing it to her
afterwards.
This is a trick that Jody played on her 6-year-old
daughter, Crystal. Jody took a picture of her
daughter’s angry face. She then set that picture
beside a smiling picture of her daughter. The two
pictures were the exact opposite of each other
and Jody showed both repeatedly to her
daughter until finally, Crystal could no longer
resist the hilarity, and she forgot about her anger
and laughed.
6. Shrug It Off
This particular strategy works when the tantrums
are not done in public or the child is just being
stubborn about getting what he wants. This is
actually related to parents’ firmness about their
decision. Sometimes, you just need to let your
child know that they cannot always get what
they want. As long as he is not harming himself
or anyone, ignore the tantrums until he gets the
message. If he keeps crying and whining, let him
be till he is finished.
If the tantrum is done in a public place, it would
be helpful if you take him to a safe and quiet
place away from the public so he can have
enough time to cool down, as well as avoid
disrupting others, perhaps in your car or
somewhere that is not so crowded. Peaceful
spots in the park, for instance, can be a good
place so you can talk to your child and attend to
his needs properly. But do remember NOT to
leave him alone, as abduction cases nowadays
happen anywhere. While we have heard of some
parents leaving their child in tantrums alone in a
public place and just observing the child from a
distance, it is still pretty dangerous and
something that parenting experts discourage
parents from doing. Aside from that, you can hurt
your child’s feelings, as he might feel that he is
being abandoned.
7. Make Sure Their Basic Needs
Are Fulfilled
Do you need a portable
cot for outing?
Get it here.
As parents, we are responsible for ensuring that
our children’s basic needs are always
fulfilled. Stressful scenarios, such as when the
child feels tired, sleepy or hungry, are common
causes of tantrums and the reasons they behave
in ways that parents will be mad at. Therefore, if
you plan on going out with your child, you must
prepare your gears to address these potential
occurrences. Make sure you bring along with
you your child’s favorite snack in case he gets
hungry, a toy, or anything that offers him comfort.
Furthermore, it is not advised to take your
child out when he is tired or sleepy.
8. The Power of Compliment
Compliments allow a kid to feel appreciated
and valued. When it comes to complimenting
your preschoolers, praising them in a
descriptive
way
is
best
since
their
comprehension level is higher than that of
toddlers. Rather than saying “Sweetheart, your
hand-writing looks great!”, try something like
“Sweetheart, your hand writing looks very neat.
Look at these few words that were written
aligning the top line!” Descriptive praises make
your child feel that you really pay attention to the
smallest details and care about him or her.
However, aside from compliments, parents
must also be honest in pointing out their
child’s blunders, but in a constructive and
encouraging way.
Conclusion
No more yelling, no
more nagging, or
losing control.
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