Everything I do for my children comes out of the love I have for them. When I discipline them, I do it because I want them to grow up to be responsible adults.
One of my most important jobs as a parent is to prepare my children for adulthood. My goal is to give my children the necessary tools to be successful in life. I want to see them achieve their dreams. Therefore, I help them establish the habits needed to accomplish those goals.
I am purposeful in my disciplining because it’s the way I guide my children to appropriate behavior. My actions are steering my children to the path of success.
Although allowing my children to do whatever they want might seem easier, I set a high standard for them because I love them.
A large portion of my discipline plan involves forgiveness and second chances. I forgive my children when they do something wrong so they can feel my unconditional love and acceptance. When my children misbehave, I separate the individual from the behavior.
I remain calm when I discipline my children to prevent me from overreacting. I keep my cool even when I feel frustrated. One of the ways I do this is to count to ten and take a deep breath.
My goal with discipline is to teach my children appropriate behavior. I achieve that objective by speaking positive words to my children in a gentle tone of voice. Even when I am expressing disappointment, I assure my children that I love them.
Today, I choose to discipline my children not only because it is my responsibility as a parent but also because I love them.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. Why is it important to calm down before administering discipline?
2. Am I disciplining for the right reasons?
3. What can I do to help my children grow into responsible adults?
