Discipline

What form of discipline do you use? Do you spank? Use time outs? Slap hands? Other? If you spank, do you use something (to represent the rod) or do you use your hand?

We use a little bit of everything with discipline. Each kid has a different thing that works best. Most of the time, we don’t need to use spankings. But if one of the kids is being extremely defiant, we will spank. When we spank, it’s just one swat with our hand to their backside. Usually, just getting the kid away from the situation is enough.

Time-outs work really well with our social 2-yo. Being away from people is very tough on him. Time-outs aren’t as effective with our 4 yo because she can play wherever she is – her imagination goes with her even in time-out. Too, she is usually obedient and very helpful, so she rarely needs to be punished.

A couple times, we’ve slapped hands for when the kids push or hit each other. Though, I don’t feel right slapping a hand and saying, “Don’t hit!” There’s something a bit hypocritical about that, isn’t there?