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Positive parenting

Parenting is a life challenge that should be approached with thought and care. Your children can be a great source of discovery, fun and love, and you can build a great relationship with them as people in their own right.

But if your relationship with your child is becoming all about discipline and battles, maybe it’s time to start thinking about trying some positive parenting techniques.

Think about your approach

Try not to become angry with your child, as this reaction can force a difficult situation to rapidly escalate out of control. Try instead to be firm but kind. Be totally consistent in what you say and do, creating clear boundaries for your child to work within. If the rules keep changing or you don’t stick to what you say your child will continue to experiment and push back against you.

Use distraction techniques

Pursuing an argument to the bitter end with a toddler is unlikely to lead to a satisfying outcome for anyone involved. Instead distract her from the source of the problem by drawing her attention to something else, like a task to get involved with or a new game.

Give your child the freedom to make choices

You can give your child the opportunity to make her own decisions and then deal with the consequences of them. It’s the best way to teach your child responsibility, and to give her the opportunity to learn about cause and effect.

Explain why you say no to something, and get down to your child’s level both physically and in terms of the language you use in explanation. If your child really understands why something they’ve done is wrong, they’re less likely to do it again.