Learn 5 Logical Consequences You Can Use Right Now!

Have you ever given your child an illogical consequence? I have. I learned how my kids tricked me too. Don't make this mistake.

Jean Tracy, MSS, "Granny Jean"

 

Learn 5 Logical Consequences You Can Use Right Now!

Being a working mom, like many of you,

I was so busy. Although I loved gardening, I never had enough time to weed the rain ditch in front of our home. When my boys misbehaved I thought I had the perfect solution. "Go out to the ditch and pull a bucket of weeds," I'd order.

I never noticed how quickly they pulled the weeds. I did wonder why the ditches never looked weeded. Since I was usually working in the kitchen, the boys would open the front door and yell up the stairs, "Here are the weeds, Mom." I'd look down the stairs and nod, "OK." Then I'd go about fixing dinner and they'd go off to play.

Now they're adults. They recently told me their "dirty" little secret. They loaded their buckets with dirt from our compost pile. They also pulled out a few fresh weeds to top off their buckets. They knew I'd never come downstairs to check their buckets. They knew I'd never guess their "dirty" little secret.

What two things did I do wrong?:

1. I didn't check their work closely.
2. My consequence wasn't logical.

My consequence for their misbehavior suited me but it didn't suit their conduct. My consequence wasn't logical. What can you do to avoid my mistake?

 

Make sure your consequences are logical. How? Make sure they fit the misbehavior. Here are 5 examples:

 

1. If your children fight over the TV controller - no TV.
2. If your child punches a hole in the wall - make him/her fix it.
3. If your child leaves toys around - take those toys away for a week.
4. If your child calls another child mean names - require your child to apologize.
5. If your child won't eat the dinner you fix - let your child go to bed hungry.

 

If you think before you speak, you'll be creating consequences that fit the misbehavior. You won't be making my mistake. You'll be helping your children grow. You'll be building character too.

Subscribe to my free Parenting Newsletter, Tips and Tools for Character Builders at www.KidsDiscuss.com