When we think of the term discipline, we often immediately assume punishment, but that is not the meaning of discipline. Discipline is teaching your child how to behave in the real world in a way that is practical and productive- and that is most effectively done with the right strategy.
Unfortunately, because we are constantly surrounded by information and opinions being supplied by non-experts, we are inundated with the wrong information. In turn, we may be disciplining our children in a way that is not only ineffective but also damaging. According to various experts, these are 5 discipline practices that do far more harm than good.
1. Helicopter parenting.
Helicopter parenting is the phenomenon that happens when parents watch over their child’s every move, whether standing over them when they complete a task or monitoring their every move. In many cases, parents who practice this type of discipline practice mean well, but because they never allow their children to experience free play, their children oftentimes end up with anxiety.
2. Snowplow parenting.
Snowplow parents take the approach of removing obstacles or the ability to do wrong from their child’s way, in hopes to detour them from making mistakes. However, when they do this, their kids don’t learn how to cope in the real world.
3. Bubble wrap parenting.
Graham C. L. Davey, a child psychopathologist says that parents who use this form of parenting/discipli9ne “swathe their child in protective bubble wrap,” oftentimes because they too, are anxious. Children who experience this form of discipline are protected from the outside world, which teaches them that the world and everything in it is inherently bad. In turn, they never grow to understand the world outside of their bubble, which often causes counterproductive anxiety.
4. Overly authoritarian parenting.
Overy authoritarian parents are unsupportive, often lacking emotion and focusing on structures. In turn, they are extremely strict and focus on using physical discipline and harsh punishment as a means of discipline. Authoritarian parents can be quite harsh, and a meta-analysis of over 1400 studies has shown it to be counterproductive as it can lead to anxious, anti-social, and aggressive children.
5. Inconsistent parenting.
Children live in a world that seems chaotic, new, and even scary to them. As their parents, it’s our job to provide stability and consistency to help them effectively navigate the world. When we fail to be consistent with discipline, we send an even more confusing message and cause anxiety to ensure, according to various studies. So, find something that works and stick to it. But don’t go overboard.