Sunday, June 29, 2008

Baby's First Discipline?

I have been dreading disciplining my child. She is so little. Besides she doesn't really know what she is doing wrong. But I guess the definition of discipline is training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character.

Right now I don't plan on spanking, I do think time out is a good thing, extra chores and grounding when they get to some later age, and probably some lecturing/yelling will be practiced (though hopefully not too much).

I wondered how I would know when the right time to start worrying about discipline was and what I would do when the time came. How should/would I react?

Today I had my first opportunity to "train" my daughter. Did I lovingly cradle my child while I explained her wrong doing and how to correct her actions? No. Did I send her to her bed without further ado? No. Instead I decided to take the scriptural route, "Reproving betimes with sharpness...and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved."

What had my sweet baby angel done to cause me to reprove with sharpness? She showed me how sharp her two little teeth were with a sweet little nibble that drew BLOOD! I couldn't help it; I scram in pain. Callie got the picture and she started crying to say she was sorry. So of course I held her tight and gave her snuggles as I cried about making my baby cry.

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