Effective Ways to Develop Self-Discipline in Kids
According to the Montessori experts,
parents and teachers should give kids the skills that they need to develop
self-discipline as well as enough opportunities to practice making wise
choices.
Provide structure:
Create a timetable that your kids will follow every day
and eventually will get accustomed to it. If they know what they are expected
to do, they will be less likely to get distracted with other activities. For
example, a good morning routine helps kids know when they have to eat breakfast
and get ready for school. Try to keep your child’s daily schedule simple and
avoid making frequent changes. With practice, they will be able to follow the
routine without any assistance from you.
Explain the reasons behind your rules:
It is always better to have an open conversation with
kids. So, if you want your kids to follow certain rules at home, please let
them know the importance of following that particular rule. For example,
instead of saying, “Take your bath now because I said so,” explain the reason
behind that rule.
You can say “It is a good choice to take your bath every
day at a particular time.” This would help them understand the importance of
following a particular rule. Instead of giving lengthy lectures, give a brief
explanation about why you think certain choices are important.
Share consequences:
Many times natural consequences teach life’s greatest
lessons. Kids who always forget to wear their jackets to school, will not learn
unless they face some consequences. Feeling cold at break time might help them
remember to wear their jackets to school next time. Other times kids need to
have some logical consequences to develop self-discipline. For example,
in Montessori La Puente, CA, kids who use a computer
roughly learn to use it properly when they lose computer privileges.
One step at a time:
Please understand self-discipline is a process and takes
time to develop this skill. You need to think of age-appropriate discipline
strategies to shape your child’s behavior. Instead of expecting your
preschoolers to follow the morning routine all by themselves without any
reminders from you, stick a picture chart on the wall that depicts the morning
routine in some easy steps.
Praise good behavior:
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