Let's make sure we know there are 2 kinds of discipline: positive and negative, and what they are...

Positive discipline

Positive discipline is encouraging. It makes allowances for the fact that children need time to learn what behaviour is ok and what is not, and that they will make mistakes. It papys attention to what they are doing well, rather than noticing only what they do wrong. It keeps adults in charge, while respecting children's rights and feelings and helping the to think and act for themselves. It's aim is to help children learn self discipline, to take responsibility for their own actions, and to treat both others and themselves with care and respect.

Here are some key ingredients in positive discipline. It

• establishes and maintains clear bounderies
• notices and rewards positive behaviour
• uses reasonable penalties in response to negative behaviour

Positive discipline has a positive effect on children and teenagers: It shows them how to improve their behaviour without making them feel that they themselves are bad.

Negative discipline

Negative discipline focuses on what children are doing wrong. It relies for control on children's fear of adults power. Its methods are unfair, harsh and often inconsistent, and are based on punishment. It teaches what is wrong, but seldom explains what is right or acknowledges good behaviour.

Negative discipline has a negative effect on children: It makes them believe not just that they have done wrong, but that they themselves are bad.

There's another approach that, while it is not harsh, is also unhelpful. Over indulgent and soft attitudes tend to make children selfish and disrecptful.

   Positive Discipline