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From: merrill@rex.DEC
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: discipline
Message-ID: <116@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 4-Jan-85 08:34:13 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.116
Posted: Fri Jan  4 08:34:13 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 7-Jan-85 03:31:21 EST
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Organization: DEC Engineering Network
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The word "discipline" comes from "disciple" which is a good guide to 
parents that "discipling" involves many forms of examples as well as
occasional consequences (disciplining).

My method that I've used successfully with 4 of 5 kids is this: after
two or three years of age before which we never spank them, they each
begin to show their defiance of parental authority.  Often this takes
the form of delaying tactics or simplying ignoring parental cajoling.
This can get really agrivating to said parent!  Rather than "bust 'em"
right then and there, I say "I really mean what I am about to say. If
I count to three and you have not done ____ ___ ____ then I shall
spank you."  Now MY word is on the line, so I'm not going to count so
fast as to make it impossible, but if there is no action, I count!
** With the first 4 I only EVER got to three ONCE! ** Really! Thereafter
they know that I mean it and yet will give them a fair chance to comply.

With the last one however, when I thought her time had come the others
wanter to protect her from my (three hard swats -- they made it sound like
a federal case) that they Begged her to comply!  And she has ever since.
Now, realize that this is for "blatant defiance". ( I confess to giving
each approx. one more spanking for unsupervised misdeeds. )  And I do have
to get as high as "two" on occasion!

The thing I like about this approach is that it proves you mean what you
say; it gives the child/children feedback on How Quickly to move; and it
keeps me calm!  I can stay calm because I know it works and because I know
it makes the situation clear. 

[oops! replace numbers "4" and "5" with "3" and "4"!  #5 is only 6wks!]