Shanna Moakler Dishes About Toddler Discipline
Submitted by Shanna Moakler
I started disciplining my kids at birth! I'd seen some of my girlfriends forego toddler discipline and let their kids do whatever they wanted, but that's just not me. No discipline? Please! I'm the mom who doesn't let her kids have soda until they're five years old!
I am all about teaching my kids the meaning of the word "no" and getting them to understand their boundaries, and I've been doing it since they were born. With three kids in the house, you need them all to have a sense of their placement in the family. I want them to have respect for each other as siblings, so I talk to them when I discipline them and I'm honest with them to help build that respect.
I'm a fan of time-outs as a form of toddler discipline, and when I use them, I always explain to my kids why they're in a time-out. Recently, my youngest went on a biting spree and we had to teach her that you can't bite people and that there is always a consequence for your behavior. I want my kids to grow up feeling confident and empowered by their decisions, but I need them to know that there are going to be consequences for bad behavior.
I think time-outs work. I never hit my kids—I've never had to and I honestly never would. To me the time-out is perfect toddler discipline because it's a consequence for the bad behavior, it gives them time to think and reflect, and it gives them a little bit of dignity. You can talk to them and look at them in the eyes and be their mentor and parent, but still teach them to have respect for themselves and others.
I am all about teaching my kids the meaning of the word "no" and getting them to understand their boundaries, and I've been doing it since they were born. With three kids in the house, you need them all to have a sense of their placement in the family. I want them to have respect for each other as siblings, so I talk to them when I discipline them and I'm honest with them to help build that respect.
I'm a fan of time-outs as a form of toddler discipline, and when I use them, I always explain to my kids why they're in a time-out. Recently, my youngest went on a biting spree and we had to teach her that you can't bite people and that there is always a consequence for your behavior. I want my kids to grow up feeling confident and empowered by their decisions, but I need them to know that there are going to be consequences for bad behavior.
I think time-outs work. I never hit my kids—I've never had to and I honestly never would. To me the time-out is perfect toddler discipline because it's a consequence for the bad behavior, it gives them time to think and reflect, and it gives them a little bit of dignity. You can talk to them and look at them in the eyes and be their mentor and parent, but still teach them to have respect for themselves and others.
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