How Kidding Around Can Discipline Your Kids

Reverse Psychology never fails for me. It works like a charm when I'm at the grocery store. My 4 year old son likes to walk off and look at things on the shelves. When he does I just say, "Okay Garion, see you later!" Once he sees me walking away he runs back to me!

Over the past five years, we've used all these tricks and tips on our twins. Unfortunately, it led to bigger trouble. Reverse Psychology: turned out it promotes untruthfulness; Silliness made tantrums and anger issues worse, because it upset and aggravated an already angry and/or frustrated child. Using play to defuse explosive situations...led to disrespectful behavior because adults aren't seen as authority figures.

A very refreshing article from a dad. I sometimes take myself too seriously, and all it does is create static with everyone- which just makes everything more difficult! Being silly can be a great way to connect with your kiddos in a stressful situation.

I agree with JenniferJoy89 that children need to follow rules whether it's funny or not, but there are times when silliness will not hurt, and will simply diffuse the situation so everyone wins. Even helps with eating vegetables. My husband will often say, "Ohhh, don't you dare eat that carrot! If you do you'll be in big trouble, you might even have to eat dessert!" etc. You should see how the vegetables disappear. Especially good with ages 3-4.

Try saying "don't you dare smile/laugh" when your kid is having a meltdown (or almost to a meltdown). This still works for my 8 year old!

reverse psychology. I think it might "work" in the short term, but in the long-term you're teaching your child to not listen to you and that you don't expect them to listen to you. You'll especially run into problems when you say something that you really mean, and the child thinks you're "saying the opposite" again.

I'm not sure if that would work on a 1 and a 1/2 yr old... but I will keep this in mind.

LOL that is interesting.... made me giggle too.

well this sounds great ill try it

Thanks i will be sure to try these tips, my son is 15 months and my step son is going on 15... so times get stressful..so these might work for all of us in the house. i needed that read after the day i have had!!!

I do agree but as long as you have the energy and support to do so. I used to do this all the time and was a champion at it but find it very difficult to do currently due to vrey stressful circumstances I am in. I find a great deal of the time that it is my stress that will be adding to the tension in my youngest so firstly I have to address my own stress levels then I am more able to be funny. Fantastic advice though.

Being silly does work. I throw myself on the floor when my twins are being bad. I cry, kick and scream. They laugh so hard & then I say "Mommy looks so funny huh?" They agree and forget why they were mad. Happy times again!!

I take common children's songs & changed the lyrics to what is happenening.This always get's a smile and some giggles.Abigail hates being strapped down in her car seat she pulls and pushes while screaming to break free.I take the song 'wheels on the bus go round and round' and sing Abigail in her car seat goes, whaaa whaaa whaaa.She hears me imitate a baby crying and laughs.I continue the song and sing Abigail in her car seat goes, ha ha ha.

I completely agree that a good, and mostly successful way to calm a child throwing a temper tantrum... but not all the time... right? I mean, sometimes enforcing the law because "it's the law" is what needs to be done. What about for a child who is constantly throwing temper tantrums, being rude to every adult in sight (including great-grandparents)? Is there room for negotiation then?

Reverse Psychology is the only way to get my daughter out of a tantrum. I will tell her that I Love it when she screams and stomps her feet could she please do it some more and the outcome is she stops. I think that it is so funny that I now tell her the opposite of what I really want her to do.

I wish I had read this sooner as it makes perfect sense!! The only thing is that you have to REMEMBER to do it...when you're rushing your kid out of preschool and he's whining that he doesn't want to leave, and the meter maid was 2 cars away, it's soooooo hard to remember to be silly!!! But I think it will work, because the accidental silly times where I've called my son by the dog's name or vice versa illicits giggles every time...I should have gotten a clueThank you and will try this evening!!

I think the idea of being silly is a really good one and actually does work. The very first time our two year old daughter decided to throw a fit, I mean dropped to the floor, rolled over and becan to cry really loud. i stood there for a minute, and then I joined her, only I kicked and screamed too. She quit and I explained to her that is what she looked like. She never did it again. Oh she'd get mad, but never a kicking screaming fit on the floor.

Dude, ok so i had to research 'positive discipline techniques' for my sophomore child development class and i just had to leave a comment because i loved this article. not only was it positive, but the ideas are clever and unique. i will deff be featuring some of your ideas in my project :)