How to Effectively Discipline a Tween

Tweens Sharing

Tweens are at a special age where timeouts are not an effective form of discipline anymore, but the same consequences you might give a teenager are too harsh. Where is the balance in disciplining tweens that sends the right messages to them? Read on.

Instructions

1. The first step in disciplining a tween is that you should set rules and boundaries ahead of time before implementing any discipline methods. You should give your child every opportunity to show good behavior by letting her know the rules and boundaries.

2. The next thing to remember when disciplining a tween is that it is only fair she know the consequences before they are given. You should not punish a child without them knowing there were consequences for bad behavior.

3. Make sure that you follow through with consequences for bad behavior. Nothing sends mixed signals more than telling your child there are actions to be taken for bad behavior and then ignoring when she has done something wrong.

4. Taking away privileges works well with this age group. For instance, if the rule is to play video games for one hour, and he plays for more than that, taking away video games for the rest of the week is an appropriate punishment for the crime.

5. As children get older, we tend to extend their bedtime out later. Early bedtime makes a particularly effective form of discipline for children in this age group.

6. Use discipline as a way to teach your tween what she did wrong, in order to prevent the action from happening again. Your tween is at an age where she will understand what she did wrong, and can certainly learn from her mistakes.

Tips & Warnings

• Discipline is a form of correction, not belittling.

• Make sure your child understands what he did wrong before administering a punishment.