Discipline for 18 Months to 3 Years

 

This is a great age to begin a child's understanding of rules and discipline. More types of discipline tend to work in this age group, than in younger children and infants. Again, remember, discipline may sound like a harsh word but the act of discipline is really done out of love, so a child is not hurt (touching a hot pan), so a child will learn how to behave, etc. As a parent or caregiver, it is our role to raise children to be the best they can be. When there is no discipline, it is a dis-service to the child. This is not to say a child of any age should have an army drill sergant barking out orders. Far from it. Most Early Childhood experts believe that the best forms of discipline are not things like spanking or yelling, but rather Positive Reinforcement, Redirecting, Verbal Instruction/Explanation, Time-outs, Groundings, Establishment of Rules and Withholding Privileges. To one degree or another, I use all of these, except of course grounding.

 

For this age group, 18 months to 3 years, the most effective forms of discipline are:

 

• Positive Reinforcement

• Redirecting

• Verbal Instruction/Explanation

• Time-outs

 

 

Discipline Techniques

Birth to 18 Months

4 to 12 Years