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From: jug@whuxlm.UUCP (Grauman Joseph)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: How to discipline short of spanking
Message-ID: <639@whuxlm.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 9-Jan-85 14:53:51 EST
Article-I.D.: whuxlm.639
Posted: Wed Jan  9 14:53:51 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 11-Jan-85 08:09:21 EST
References: <286@ho95b.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany
Lines: 26


Many of the responses had proposals on disciplining a child who didn't
want to go to sleep at bedtime.  It is important, however, to try to
identify the cause or source of such behavior which appears to be quite
common.

In reading your posting I found two possible causes.  First, you 
mentioned that when you send your child to her room as punishment.
This makes her room an undesirable or bad place to be - to take it
to an extreme example, like jail.  Secondly, you mentioned that in order
to get her to stay in her room at bedtime you allow her to engage in play
as long as she remained in bed.  This defeats the purpose of being in    
the room in the first place - to go to sleep.  It might also be wise to
consider keeping a child in the crib (with the sides raised) until they
are older.  I am happy to say that we never had such problems with
our 2 children since we followed what I said in this paragraph.

When you examine young children's behavior problems closely you will
find that in most cases they can be traced to the way their parents
dealt with them initially.  Not everyone knows what to do in every
possible situation, but consistency, purpose, and firmness can go a
long way toward correcting bevior problems early.

Joe Grauman
AT&T-Bell Labs
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