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From: dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (Paul DuBois)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: How to discipline short of spanking
Message-ID: <667@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Jan-85 17:47:45 EST
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.667
Posted: Mon Jan 14 17:47:45 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 17-Jan-85 03:44:00 EST
References: <286@ho95b.UUCP> <858@amdahl.UUCP>
Organization: UW-Madison Primate Center
Lines: 25

> Your other problem seems to be that you are trying to reason with
> a two year old. This only works in favor of the child!
> An example:
>                   Me: Do good boys do XXXXX?
>                 Adam: No.
>                   Me: Did you do XXXXX?
>                 Adam: Yes.
>                   Me: Are you a good boy?
>                 Adam: Yes.

This is a good example of why exclusive reason/rationality with
a child doesn't work.  Sure, it's nice to be able to explain to
the child why to do something, and then have him do it.  But
their logic isn't ours!  "You mean Daddy can buy all the lollipops
he wants to, and he doesn't buy any?"  Daddy must be nuts, right?

And when they grow up, they aren't always going to be given a logical
reason why they should do such-and-such anyway.  Best to learn
that sometimes you just have to do it.
-- 
Paul DuBois	  {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois
								    |
"And the streets shall be full of boys and girls playing	  --+--
in the streets thereof..."					    |
				Zechariah 8:5			    |