What is discipline?

A lot of people equate discipline to punishment. When they hear of the word “discipline”, they think of spankings, time outs, grounding, and other actions penalizing wrongdoing. Yet, one must remember that the word “discipline” has the same root word as that of “disciple”. Both came from a Latin word meaning “pupil”. Thus, discipline really means to teach or to guide. Punishment may be a form of disciplining, but not the only one.

What are the effects of discipline?

Let us take the game of baseball. Supposing there are no rules in playing the game. There are no strike zones, no outs, or no way to keep scores. How fun will that be? The rules are imposed not to stifle the players but to make the game more enjoyable. Without the rules, players may not even have the motivation to hone their skills.

This is also true with discipline. By imposing rules and boundaries according to the child’s age, he can develop self-discipline, helping the child to grow up happy and well adjusted.

Some tips on effective discipline.

1. Rules must be clear to the child.

Going back to our example of the game of baseball, what if the batter does not understand why a certain pitch is called a ball, while another is called a strike. Without this understanding, the batter will swing his bat with every pitch, even if the ball is way above his head.

Rules that are vague to a child will only lead to frustration. Talk with your child when putting limits. Be sure that your child understands what is expected of him when a situation occurs.

2. Be consistent.

What if the distance between the first base and the home plate is varied every time a batter comes up to the plate? Worse, what if the base is moved while the player is running towards it?

By being consistent, a child learns that certain actions will result in a predictable consequence. The child will learn self-discipline, for he will know what actions to take, or not take, if he wants to have, or avoid, a certain outcome.

3. Provide positive feedback.

Actions that are rewarded get repeated. Unfortunately, there are some children who think that being noticed by a busy parent is a form of reward. The child may behave badly, even risking punishment, just to get the attention of his parent. Therefore, be sure to reward good behavior. A simple “thank you”, a kiss, or even a little smile may be enough feedback.

Remember, to discipline your child is to teach him how to grow up happy and secure. He will not see your disciplining as punishment; rather, he will look at it as a sign of love

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Kota My Triceratops is one of the hot Christmas toys for kids who love dinosaurs. This huge dinosaur will look life-size to the young ones! Unbelievably, Kota is 36 pounds heavy. In his movements, it’s tough to differentiate Kota from a real dino. Kids will be thrilled at the sight of a real dinosaur in their home! He can move his eyes, his head, his tail, and even his horn, as he responds to your child’s touch. Dinosaur theme music plays to enhance their make-believe playtime. Kota will certainly please kids, as it is one of the hot Christmas toys.

The Fisher-Price Portable DVD Player has been referred to time and time again as amongst the best Christmas toys for preschoolers and with good reason. The DVD Player is absolutely built to resist being thrown around or dropped. Amazingly, it weighs less than a pound. It can either run on batteries, or from a 9V outlet connectable on the side. The 3,5 inch LCD screen has a great image quality. Falls from heights mean nothing to this player. It makes movie time even more fun with features like anti-skip buffer protection, dual grip handles, CD playback capability, and even a video out jack to plug into the TV. The player is quite a bargain at a mere $150.

What will you choose from amongst the hot Christmas toys? There’s no doubt that picking only one will be difficult. It’s a marvel that there are so many great toys out there. The robotics of toys today far outdoes anything that has come before. But today’s toys are just as comforting as toys from years gone by. Technology has definitely not alienated kids from their toys.

It’s not only children who have suffered some trauma during delivery that are in need of the comfort and security of having a blanket of their own. Infants who have been born into families that have limited monetary resources also can benefit with a blankets for babies campaign.

If you can’t find one of these organizations in existence in your local area, consider visiting the hospital where you live. Quite often a hospital with a maternity wing will gladly collect blankets for little babies . Some will be used on premature and full-term infants during their stay after birth others will be given to mothers who are less fortunate.

Another way to get involved in here is to take up the cause. Constantly, almost every charity including those focused on children is looking for volunteers. Inquire about what you can do to help and be prepared to hit the pavement in search of blankets for babies. Helping in this first-hand way gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you are doing everything within your power to get blankets for babies who truly need them. You’ll feel good about your efforts knowing that you’ve helped improve the life of a little one.

For most of us though, it is a real joy picking out baby blankets for boys and girls. Some women take it a step farther and decide to give a handmade touch to their contribution. Many people are skilled in the crafts of quilting, knitting and crocheting. A baby blanket is a chance to give that same comfort to someone else. If you pick up the perfect blanket for a baby, you can be sure that it will be remembered for their whole life. They will remember it for their whole life even if they forget everything else if you can get a baby a special something that will make them feel comforted and protected.

Making blankets for babies by hand and then donating makes for a lovely gesture. Imagine the joy in the face of a mother who can’t afford a special blanket for her baby to be given something handmade with love. It truly becomes an heirloom that will be treasured forever.

Special care of course must be chosen in picking out blankets for babies. Even though there are certain hazards that babies that are not faced by other people and blankets for babies must be especially safe that will tend babies not using comforters. Babies must have blankets with no loose parts that can get lodged in their throats. Otherwise, what starts out as a peaceful night of slumber can turn into a horrible disaster. You definitely do not want that to happen.

The knit kind of blanket is my favorite baby blankets. That is because when I had a baby. When you think about these kinds of things, it is hard to get past early childhood attachments. And for me, the knit or crocheted blanket blanket for babies is the classic one. They are thin, comfortable, and safe. These baby blankets for girls and boys will not smother the child because they have plenty of holes in them. Nonetheless, they are warm enough to keep the baby protected provided that the room is at a comfortable temperature.

The great kind of blankets for babies is that you can make them it with yourself. It is always nice to be able to have that personal touch for a child’s gift. You are doing a little bit more special when you make your own blankets for your babies. You are doing that extra bit of work to show how much you care. The baby might not know it at the time, but it certainly will mean a lot to the parents. And that is almost as important!