A: Keep in mind that your goal as a team is to give your children limits. Your children must have consistent discipline from both of you. It’s very confusing if each of you disciplines differently. You must put your differences aside and make a plan. If you cannot come to an agreement, you might find a book on discipline helpful. A: If you find yourself starting to yell, take a deep breath and count to five. (The child will likely stare at you wondering what you’re up to!) Then you’ll be able to handle the situation like a pro—calm, cool, and collected. You’ll also show your children by your actions how to handle their anger. The absolute best thing for a child is to see that his or her parents are a strong unit and are in agreement, even about a punishment. Of course, all kids will try to break parents down. They are experts at sniffing out differences and trying to push two parents apart. Your child might play one of you against the other. This is very normal behavior for a child. The quickest way for a child to outgrow this phase is for his or her parents to stand strong. When a child learns it’s possible to get what he or she wants by playing one parent against the other, the child is more likely to continue doing it. The following is a list of discipline Dos and Don’ts:
