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Smart Discipline™ is an organized approach to disciplining children to help them grow into responsible people by changing their behavior.

Smart Discipline™ is based on three principles –

• We are all accountable for our actions.
• When you break a rule, you face the consequences.
• All good behavior must be praised.

How does it work?

You are able to decide which behaviors you do not want to see in your home. You are able to develop a relationship between the rules you want enforced and the privileges you know to be important to your child.

What are the steps?

1. Write down the negative behaviors you witness in your child such as won’t do homework, swearing, sloppy work, etc.
2. List the negative behaviors that you think are most in need of change (up to 10).
3. Using the list of negative behaviors, write up to 10 short, simple rules such as homework must be done before supper, no swearing, etc.
4. Think about the privileges your child enjoys and choose five that your child would not like to lose such as phone usage, watching TV, etc.
5. List the privileges in order of ascending importance (least important privilege first, most important last).
6. Make a weekly chart that has twelve (12) spaces.

The first seven spaces are "free chances". If you break a rule, you do not lose a privilege. As the seventh rule is broken, the child would lose the privilege listed. With each succeeding broken rule, another privilege is lost. Make sure you praise your child on the things they did well.

Get more detailed information

Larry Koenig & Associates has workbooks, videos, and other items which can help parents. You can find more information and an order form at their website: www.smartdiscipline.com.