Disciplining In Public

So your at the store in line waiting to check out & you got stuck behind "that" mom, we all know who I'm talking about. The mom who is yelling at her kids because they are misbehaving but they still won't stop what they are doing. . . . Maybe you've even been "that" mom.

Disciplining children seems hard enough to do in the privacy of your own home but doing it in public presents a whole new set of challenges because everyone around you is all ears & ready to pass judgment. You don't want to embarrass yourself  or your child but you don't want people thinking your a passive parent (who let's their child run all over them) or that your child is bratty & BAD.

The DO'S & DONT'S of public disciplining I wish I knew before I had to learn by trail & error.

Good disciplining methods start at home, being consistent is key.

DO'S:

Always be consistent with your methods & expectations whether you are at home or in public. Children will occasionally throw fits & act up regardless of your consistency but if you stick to your grounds you can handle the situation more quickly & easily. If you let your child "slide" when you are at home then he/she will except the same kind of treatment when your out & about. 

Before you even set foot out of the car in the parking lot remind your child of their limits & your expectations. Meaning if your going to a store where you know there will be toys, candy, food, etc. (all the things that will "trigger" your kids to ask, beg, & whine for) you need to tell them specifically want kind of behavior is expected in the store, like "We're going to Target & yes, we can go look at the toy sections but DO NOT ask to buy any toys today because we are only getting what's on mommy's list". This let's them know what is expected now you have to state the consequences in advance too, like "If you do ask you will be in trouble & you WON'T  get a reward when we are done". Make sure you stick to the consequences you set.

Use a reward system, have a little chart set up at home & every time they are good at the store (or wherever) give them a sticker & when they get 5 stickers in a row they can have a prize. The prize does not have to be anything big it can be a stamp, marker, bracelet, whatever . . . the point is that they got a "prize" & that's all that matters to them.

DONT'S:

Don't yell, it seems easy but when your in the heat of the moment & you have been telling your child the same thing for the last 15 minutes & it is going in one ear & out the other, it can be a bit difficult to keep your cool. Yelling will only bring unwanted attention to yourself & now everyone sees an unruly child & a mother who is about to "loose it". This is when it's time to stop your child, looking them in the face & giving them one stern warning that the behavior is stopping now or there will be major consequences.

Don't throw empty threats, your child may be little but he / she is no dumby. If your little one is acting up & you tell her she will NEVER get to watch tv again & then when you get home you turn the tv on you just proved that your words have NO meaning. Make sure your saying realistic things, like "I already warned you & you still misbehaved so now you can't watch tv or play any games for the rest of the day". 

Don't play good cop bad cop, if you & your partner are not on the same page about disciplining your child will just run to the more lenient parent to get his / her way & this can cause a lot of problems. Not just between you & your partner but possibly between you & your child, no one wants their child to build resentment towards them. So make sure both of you parents are on the same page, & use each other for support because disciplining can be hard on the parent just as much as the child.

Remember we're only human & parenting is never easy for any one, there will be "bad" days where you are moody, your kids are moody, & nothing is going to go smoothly. Don't be too hard on yourself  . . . give yourself a break.

I hope this helps, leave a comment below & tell me about your experiences (good or bad).