Child discipline does not mean physical punishment.
Child discipline: Tips for parents
Ms Joanne Especkerman, Psychologist at the Psychology Service, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), a member of the SingHealth group, said parents are often unsure of various alternative methods of discipline. These are some steps parents can take:
Be mindful of the effects of discipline on children
"Discipline should be used to assist children in learning rules and values as they grow older to help them assimilate well into society and contribute back as an active participant," says Ms Especkerman.
In Singapore, some parents admit to smacking their kids on the spur of the moment or when they are feeling stressed. Although this increases short-term compliance, many research studies do show negative outcomes in children in the long-term such as aggressive behaviours, lower quality relationships, and poorer mental health in childhood and adulthood.
According to a recent international study spanning several continents including Asia, explanations of physical punishment being ‘just’ and ‘fair’ and the use of less severe forms of physical punishment (e.g. slapping on hand) do not lessen the negative impact it has on children’s outcomes.
On the other hand, consistent use of positive parenting methods (e.g. planned ignoring of negative behaviours, providing praise and reward for positive behaviours) have shown effectiveness in shaping children’s behaviour. Additionally, using other-oriented reasoning where children learn to understand effects of their behaviour on others increases their empathy and promotes pro-social behaviours.
More importantly, parents are encouraged to spend time in taking the perspective of their children in order to better identify reasons for their misbehaviour. This in turn helps parents to choose wisely on interventions that encourage children’s willing compliance.
Ref: N18