Out of the multiple aspects of raising children that have changed from the previous generation to the present, the mannerism of disciplining the young minds has to be among the foremost. And, this is quite natural when you consider how different our children are from the times when we were at their age. They have greater exposure to the outside world, more ways to gather knowledge, and in fact, they are much more sensitive than we were as kids. As such, an amalgamation of all these factors has a clear impact on the modern methods of disciplining them, and even on the challenges associated with those methods.
Physical punishments have long been deemed as completely unacceptable because of its effects on the young psyche, and any form of harsh rebukes or scolding are advised against, as well. Child psychologists and experts today emphasize on being calm, gentle, and reformative with kids. But, does that mean the new-age disciplining methods are without any challenges? Also, how are parents expected to overcome these new challenges? We, at DPS Sushant Lok, a prominent nursery school in Gurgaon, we have a few ideas to share in this regard.
The new technique of allowing greater freedom of choice
Modern discipline is about focusing on the true meaning of the word, i.e., to impart skills and knowledge, instead of control and punishment. After all, it is truly a great idea to let children choose the food they prefer eating or the activities they want to partake in. But, what happens when the kids don’t want to touch veggies ever or play computer games during bedtime?
At DPS Sushant Lok, our management team believes that the freedom of choice should come with a sense of boundaries. Though there’s no harm in letting the kids choose, they also need to clearly understand what they shouldn’t do and why.
Behavior modification through promises of rewards and treats
“You’ll get thirty minutes of computer time if you complete this homework”: surely, you’ve said something along those lines at some point to make children complete their work. The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t outline the actual benefits of learning to the kids.
The honorable Principal, Ms Amita Saxena and Vice Principal, Ms Veena Sangar, of DPS Sushant Lok, one of the leading nursery school in Gurgaon, believe that the love for learning must be fostered among kids from a young age. And it should be done in such a way that there remains no place for temptations for them to engage with their lessons.
The gentle disciplining method using humor and distraction
We are completely supportive of using gentle discipline to make children know about the consequences without shaming them for their actions. In fact, a bit of humor and distraction is necessary when dealing with the tiny tots, and their complaints and issues.
However, it’s important to ensure that you don’t unwillingly convey the idea that you are making light of the issues that mean a lot to them. If humor is the answer they receive every time they come to discuss anything, it would simply end up alienating them from you.
Focusing on the positives instead of discussing the negatives
Another great way of disciplining that the modern times have taught us is to focus on the positives instead of harping on the negatives. After all, consistently stressing on the negatives by focusing on their slightest missteps only discourages any further efforts in the right direction.
But, this doesn’t mean we completely stop all conversations regarding the negatives. In certain situations, we need to discuss the drawbacks in order to find the solutions. For instance, it’s necessary to talk about the reasons why they are having problems with a lesson and what can be done to help them overcome the issues.
Our years of experience in being a trusted and renowned nursery school in Gurgaon has shown us that disciplining the young minds is a complex and nuanced endeavor. It entails a delicate balance between ensuring that kids learn the right from the wrong, and making sure that it doesn’t affect their natural sense of kindness, compassion, and truthfulness. At DPS Sushant Lok, we have been successfully maintaining this balance for years, and are sure to continue this in the days to come.