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Successful Parenting with the Discipline Stick

by Jean Tracy

I remember one dad who made his 11-year old son dig his own grave in their backyard. No one remembers what wrong the son had done. Everyone remembers his dad's discipline. One mother beat and cursed her daughter shouting, "I wish you were never born." Do you ever wonder if your discipline crosses the line? To find out, let's imagine a Discipline Stick. It's shaped like a ruler. It's effective and it doesn't spank hands.

One side of the Discipline Stick measures Kindness. It numbers from one to ten. The numbers from 1-3 represents Not kind. The grave-digging dad and the cursing mom disciplined in the Not Kind zone.

The opposite end of the Discipline Stick at 8, 9, and 10 measures Too Kind. Parents who spoil their kids with kindness create tyrants. Their actions are definitely, Too Kind.

Not Kind and Too Kind can be measured by:

The sound of your voice
The look on your face
The words you say
The emotions you feel
The actions you take

Not Kind: (numbers 1-3)

Speaks in an angry voice
Looks hateful
Feels rage
Says cruel things
Takes harmful actions

Too Kind: (numbers 8-10)

Speaks without authority
Looks beaten
Feels powerless
Says "Yes" when "No" is best
Forgets to be the parent

Just Right: (numbers 4-7)

Just Right sits in the middle of the Discipline Stick. It enshrines the wide middle road between Not Kind and Too Kind. To parent Just Right ask yourself this powerful question, "How can I be both Kind and Firm?"

The Wrap-Up:

Child Protective Services took care of the grave digging dad.
The cursing mom kept cursing.
Her daughter vowed never to hit or curse at her children. She kept her vow.
If you discipline toward either extreme, you can change.
To parent Just Right before disciplining your kids, ask yourself this powerful question,

"How can I be both Kind and Firm?"

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