Experienced parents love to share their wisdom. Here are some quick tips on discipline:


Children get into trouble when they are put in situations where they are not allowed to be children.

To ward off responding in anger to my child's actions, I chant in my head, "Firmness without anger." It helps me to put things in perspective before I act.

To help control those feelings of anger, beat on a pillow or do an aerobic exercise. It's a good outlet for tension, and nobody gets injured.

If your child doesn't follow directions as he's told, I recommend giving him one more chance by saying, "If you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing by the time I count to three, you'll be disciplined."

Whenever possible, discipline your children in private.

Whenever you are really angry and frustrated with your child, do something special together (cuddle, read a favorite story, take a walk, etc.).

Give children stickers, surprises, special attention, loving comments, hugs, etc., as rewards for being good. It will reinforce their good behavior.

Whenever I have to take something away from or say "no" to my 13-month-old daughter, I always make sure that I offer her something she can have as an alternative.

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My teens were always comparing our family rules (curfew, school expectations, bedtime, etc.) to what their friends could do. My reply was always the same: "I don't care what goes on in someone else's house; I only care about what goes on in our house." Parents should never feel pressured to conform to others' values and rules if they truly believe in their heart that what they are doing is right.

Karen D., San Diego

If your child does something you disapprove of, don't say, "You are bad." Instead, explain how his behavior was wrong. For example, you can say, "You cannot take the ball away from your brother." Follow this with a clear example of what the child should do instead: "Use your words and ask nicely, 'May I play with the ball?'"

J.P., Morgantown, W.Va.

Once you set up a list of chores that you feel is reasonable according to the skills and schedule of each child, set a deadline for when you expect these chores to be completed (before going to bed, 3 p.m. on Saturday, etc.). Let the children know what the consequence will be if the chores are not done by the deadline. I would not let my children do a privilege activity until their chores were completed.

Gina C., Naperville, Ill.

When our children lost a baby tooth, they always got a few foreign coins from the Tooth Fairy. Our children would run out of their room screaming with joy while holding their new loot from the fairy. "Let's go to the globe and see where the fairy has been recently," we said. We pointed out how each coin matched up with a country. It set the stage for an appreciation of world geography.

Mike S., Danville, Ky.

Note: Children in the U.S. score the lowest of all countries on the topic of world geography. Every home should have a world globe.

Our little girl has trouble telling the front from the back of her underwear. We took a laundry marker and painted a belly button on the front so she can match the belly button on her panties with her own belly button. Now she always gets her panties on correctly.

L.B., Salt Lake City

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