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Discipline and the 4 Year Old?
Posted: April 19, 2022
Teaching your child discipline is essential and children who are four years old are not too young to begin learning some basic lessons on this topic. Unfortunately, many parents think that discipline means punishment when it comes to their children. To teach your child discipline, it is important to understand what it is, as well as what it is not. Here is a closer look at discipline, tips for teaching discipline to your four-year-old, and a look at how martial arts training can help.
Discipline - What is It?
First, what is discipline in relation to your four-year-old? Discipline deals with helping your child get along with others, teaching him to behave properly, and letting your child learn from mistakes. Discipline also involves teaching your child to listen and to consider the consequences of their actions. The actual definition of discipline is, "training expected to produce a specific pattern of behavior." However, this concept has to be used in relation to the level of your child.
Discipline - What it is NOT!
Many parents make the mistake of confusing discipline and punishment. They are not the same. Discipline is all about teaching or training your child to be obedient and to behave properly. It is not something that you do if your child disobeys or misbehaves. Discipline focuses on the action, while punishment focuses on the child. By teaching your four-year-old discipline, you can reject your child's behavior when it is unacceptable without rejecting your child. Remember, discipline is all about raising children who are confident, responsible, and caring, it is not all about punishment.
Tips for Teaching Discipline at Home
At our martial arts school, we use a number of techniques to encourage discipline among four- and five-year-old children. Some of the strategies we use can be useful to you as parents. Here are several tips we can offer to help you teach discipline at home.
- Tip #1 - Teach Your Child to Listen - One important tip for teaching discipline to your child is to teach your child how to listen. If your child does not listen effectively, they will have a difficult time obeying the instructions given. Teach your child to stop whatever they are doing, to look directly at the speaker, and make eye contact when being spoken to. Then, they should repeat the instructions given to them as they understand them. This can help to avoid miscommunications as well.
- Tip #2 - Use Simple Directions - Teaching your child discipline will include teaching them how to listen to and follow directions. However, it is important to note that four-year-olds cannot understand multiple requests at one time. This means that when you give your child directions, you need to keep them simple. Instead of saying, put your toys away, brush your teeth and get ready for bed, focus on giving the directions for one task at a time. Tell your child to put his toys away. When he is done, tell him to brush his teeth. Simple directions will be easier for your child to follow.
Working with your child at home is important for teaching your child discipline. Enrolling your child in martial arts training is also a great idea. Our experienced instructors teach discipline on an age-specific level, helping to build on the lessons you are teaching at home.
The trick is to make sure that the lessons are age-appropriate and geared toward the individual student. It also should be systematic and repeatable. Directions should be given in the same way each time. Rules should be followed every time. This age group needs consistency and encouragement.
If you are lucky enough to find a martial arts school that specializes in this age group, take a look at the classes and you might be amazed at what they are really teaching! It is not about kicking and hitting but how to have structure and discipline in a fun environment.
