How to Discipline a Defiant Child - Is the Reward System Effective?

Parenting a defiant child is a difficult responsibility. You might always experience power struggles with your child. This can indeed be frustrating for parents. Just imagine the stress and hardship that a parent can go through. Learning how to discipline a defiant child will help transform the terrible behavior. One technique in disciplining a child that is proven effective is the use of a reward system.

What is a reward system? It is a system that a parent can follow wherein you give your defiant child sets or rewards or privileges when he or she exhibited good behavior. The point here is to give the reward after the child showed the behavior that is desired.

For a parent to successfully motivate his or her child to behave positively, rewards that appeal to the child should be provided. Parents should list down the things that his or child normally wants. This list will be handy as you will know what to give your child on different instances. It should not always be something of intangible or material things. It could be a simple praise that a child would typically want to hear from his or her parents after doing something good. Spending time playing with the child after finishing his or her chores is also another example. Of course, you can also give material things like ice cream, a new toy and other child stuffs.

In disciplining a defiant child, reward system should be followed in moderation. Parents should not overdo this as the child can be affected negatively. He or she may do certain things just to get the reward which should not be the case. Discussing with the child why he or she is rewarded in the first place and stressing that a good behavior should be followed normally can help strengthen the reward system.