The Oregon Women's Report - Women's News from Oregon

April 17, 2009

By Jean Tracy,
KidsDiscuss.com, Parent Newsletter

In our last blog we discussed 3 discipline problems when your kids fight in the car. Now we’ll offer 3 discipline solutions. One problem involved driving your kids to their activities. The traffic was bad and your kids loudly complained about each other. The second problem involved taking your kids on errands. They didn’t want to go. In the third problem you were taking your kids for a hamburger treat. Instead of being grateful, they argued about each other’s fast food joint.

If any of these problems fit your family, you have discipline choices. Consider 3 parenting tips below:

1. Pull over to a safe place. If you’re on the freeway, take the next off ramp. Tell your kids, “We’re not moving until you stop fighting.”
2. For each complaint say, “That’s another errand.” Add it to your schedule.
3. Count out loud to 3. If they don’t quit fighting turn the car around and go home. No lectures. No yelling. No treats.

Of course, you could yell and lecture. It might stop the fighting until the next time. There will be a next time. You’ve just modeled how yelling solves your problems. Why shouldn’t they yell just like you? You’ve also brought yourself down to their level and lost power.

Avoid getting emotional. Stay in control. Act with logic. Practice the above solutions over and over. You’ll be showing your children you mean what you say and you say what you mean. Your words will earn respect.

Now add your discipline ideas for kids who fight in the car and help us all.

Want more parenting skills that work? Pick up my Parenting Skills Kit. Solve the arguments. Get respect. Create peace in your home.

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