You Want me to Discipline You?

In the grocery store, I overheard a frazzled mom ask her kid, "You want me to discipline you?"

Well duh, I thought, like any kid is gonna say, "Sure, Mom, bring it on! Curtail my behavior. Thwart my agenda."

I wonder how many times we waste words when frustrated. Like how many times have you heard...or uttered..."I'm gonna put you out here along the roadside" or "I'll slap that smirk off your face." One of my friends had the habit of shouting, "I'll knock you into the middle of next week."

"You can raise yourself - I quit."

I've probably said many meaningless expressions in moments of childrearing mayhem. Even though we chuckle about it, kids learn quickly when parents or teachers say idle, unenforceable threats. Plus it's a waste of our energy. It's better to channel our energy into meaningful and enforceable discipline.

Today, I encourage you to be mindful of what you say when confronting misbehavior.

Share a discipline story, funny meaningless phrase, or ask me a discipline question any Tuesday morning on my radio show, The Parent’s Plate 877-864-4869.

Remember, The Birth to Five Book: Confident Childrearing Right from the Start is available at Amazon http://is.gd/jaTZ or you can buy signed copies from me, $12/book, by mailing your order/payment: P.O. Box 1302 | Mount Vernon, OH 43050 (U.S. only).

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©Copyright 2011, Brenda Nixon.