It is important that you parents discipline your children as early as toddlerhood (age 3 to 6) if you want to instill positive values in them.

Child psychology dictates that if you fail to change the behavior of your children before the age of 7, you cannot change it during adulthood.

The extreme physical disciplinary measures some of these children have been subject to are abusive and not warranted as there are better and more effective ways to rectify negative behaviors.

Time-out is a great disciplinary measure approved by some pediatricians and developmental psychologists for education and parenting.

Its main purpose is to enforce rules and set guidelines in children. It is by far the most effective form of child discipline in existence.

Time-out is a form of punishment where a child is temporarily separated from an environment where inappropriate behavior has occurred.

For the time-out, the child is sent to a designated area [often a corner or a similar space] where they are to stand or sit for the  entire period. And you parents must be firm  and unwavering in enforcing the punishment as they will try to patronize you and buy your sympathy.

After the time-out, it comes down to you parents to talk to the child being disciplined to tell them what they did wrong and how you do not approve of the behavior -whatever the negative thing they did. Keep in mind that the purpose of time-out is to address negative behaviors and enforce rules, not to punish a “bad” kid.

How long should you keep your children on time-out? It is recommended that you keep them on time-out one minute per year of age. For example, if the child is 5 years old, you keep him or her on time-out for 5 minutes.

It is imperative that you discipline your kids if you do not want to see them become deviant elements, and if you do not want to cry tomorrow. When you discipline them, you must focus on the negative behavior -the wrong you want to rectify, not them per se. They are not bad, their behaviors are.