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• What does good discipline look like?
• Give positive guidance.
• Redirect or change child's actions.
• Set clear-cut limits.
• Foster child's ability to become self-disciplined.
• Explain natural consequences (Example: misuses toy, toy breaks, can’t use it anymore).
• Give logical consequences of an action (Example: not being able to play in sandbox for a time as a consequence of throwing sand).
• Recognize and model desired behavior.
• For children 3 years of age and over, implement short “time outs” for calming down and problem solving; children should never be isolated in a separate room, closet, etc.


• Examples of Positive Discipline
• Positive guidance–



Example: “Just Walk….Thank You!” instead of “Don’t Run!”


• Redirection–



Example: The caregiver distracts children who are fighting over one toy, by suggesting additional toys or materials that create an opportunity for each child to have a cooperative role. “What if Angelo were to fill the dump truck with sand and Kira were to drive it? Angelo could wait for the load at the construction site, and then you could build a new school together.”


• Classroom rules, expectations and activities that are realistic for the age of the children–



Example: Long waits between activities may upset the group and cause the caregiver to resort to yelling. Examine cause and effect, and you’ll notice that the problem of unruly children may be triggered by lack of planning on the part of adults.


• Limits, consequences and choices that children understand, and that promote self-discipline–



Example: “If you’re not sleepy, you may read a book or listen to a story with headphones on your cot, but you may not get up and run around while other children are sleeping.”


• Limits and consequences that are consistent and applied equally to all children–



Example of what not to see: An active child is often monitored closely, and punished frequently, while the quiet child can “get away with” the very same behavior without consequence.


• Desired behavior modeled by caregivers–



Example: Caregivers show patience, honesty, courtesy, generosity, turn taking, thoughtfulness and other good qualities with both adults and children.

• Why is positive discipline important?
• Children need understandable guidelines for their behavior. This gives them skills to develop self control for their behavior; a critical skill they will need through life.



• Consistency is important. Children learn what is appropriate.



• Discipline given in equitable manner, encourages children to be fair.



• Children learn to respect property, assume personal responsibility and responsibility for others.

• What kind of discipline is prohibited in child care?
• Corporal punishment, including beating, hitting, spanking, shaking, pinching, excessive exercise, exposure to extreme temperatures, and other measures producing physical pain.



• Withdrawal or the threat of withdrawal of food, or forcing of food, rest, or bathroom opportunities.



• Abusive or foul language or verbal abuse, threats, or unkind remarks about the child or child's family.



• Any form of public or private embarrassment or shaming, including threats of physical punishment.



• Any form of emotional abuse, including rejecting, terrorizing, ignoring, isolating, or corrupting a child.



• Binding or tying to restrict movement, such as in a car seat (except when traveling); or enclosing in a confined space such as a closet, locked room, box, or similar cubicle.


Note: Playpens, swings and other devices should not be used as “holding areas” for extended periods of discipline.