Developing Your Child's Self Discipline

Self-discipline is the ability to set a realistic goal or make a plan--then stick with it. It is the ability to
resist doing things that can hurt others or ourselves. It involves keeping promises and following through on commitments. It is the foundation of many other qualities of character. Often self-discipline requires persistence and sticking to long-term commitments--putting off immediate pleasure for later fulfillment.It also includes dealing effectively with emotions, such as anger and envy,
and developing patience.

Learning self-discipline helps children regulate their behavior and gives them the willpower to make good decisions and choices. On the other hand, the failure to develop self-discipline leaves children wide open to
destructive behavior. Without the ability to control or evaluate their impulses, they often dive headlong into
harmful situations.

What You Can Do

Talk with your child about setting reachable goals. For example, help him break big tasks into little tasks that
can be accomplished one at a time. Have the child pick a task and set a deadline for completing it. When the deadline has passed, check together to see if the task was completed.

Help your child build a sense of her competence. To do this, she needs experiences of success, no matter how
small. This builds confidence and effort for the next time.

Keep making the tasks just a little more challenging but doable.