Think about it. Self-discipline boils down to making positive, healthy decisions when it comes to money, nutrition, exercise, self-care and hygiene, work, even relationships and peer pressure. It’s all about being able to control yourself and resisting impulsiveness and instant gratification by keeping to one’s commitments and goals.
Self-discipline now means better decision-making later
Far from something you’re either born with or not, self-discipline is something you can instil in your child – and from a young age too. At the core of self-discipline is the idea that doing the right thing means doing it even when no one is watching you do it. What’s more, self-discipline for kids is important because it goes beyond mere good behaviour. It’s about your kids making good choices regardless of how they feel about something.
Without self-discipline, a 10-year-old could be spending their days at school playing with their stationery instead of engaging in the lesson, or a 16-year-old lights up the cigarette the cool kid hands them. But with self-discipline, that 10-year-old sits down to do the homework after having lunch – without asking, and that 16-year-old refuses to let their friend cheat off them during a test.
How to teach your child self-discipline
Because learning self-discipline is about learning self-control, it can be a difficult skill to foster in your child. But it’s vital. Remember that it’s not about controlling your child’s behaviour, but about your child learning how to control themselves. This isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight; it’s a process that takes years and you should always keep your child’s age and abilities into consideration. Here are some strategies to help you foster self-discipline in your child:
As your child grows older, you could reward self-discipline and good behaviours with privileges. If your tween gets themselves dressed for school and their lunch packed before it’s time to leave (without your help or any reminders), then they get to stay up half an hour later at bedtime, for example.
Be self-disciplined yourself Kids do as they see, so try to be self-disciplined yourself. If your child sees watching TV instead of making the bed, they’ll learn that it’s okay to give in to impulses. They’ll pick up on your own levels of self-discipline, so try to work on this yourself.
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