Have you ever watched The Dog Whisperer? Do you yearn to be THE PACK LEADER of
YOUR family?
Well gather ‘round and I’ll let you in on a little secret
(that I’ve been sharing with parents for YEARS)!
The principles that Ceasar Milan applies to his dog
psychology can – MUST – be applied to raising balanced children.
In case you’re not familiar with Ceasar’s guidelines, let’s
review:
- Rules
- Boundaries
- Limitations
- Exercise
- Discipline
- Affection
- Energy
- Body Language
Okay, now let’s break the list down as it applies to raising
your children:
- Rules: Keep your rules simple and enforce them without exception.
- Boundaries: Teach your children to know their place (they are not adults).
- Limitations: Encourage your children’s development of self-control.
- Exercise: Provide a LOT of physical activity for your children (from infancy to young adult), preferably outside with sticks and dirt and trees, fresh air and – most importantly – no agenda.
- Discipline: Remember that the word ‘discipline’ means teaching, not punishment. What you’re going for here is teaching your child/children character qualities and self-discipline.
- Affection: Give it often, but be sure that it’s well timed. For example, when you’ve corrected your young child’s behavior (he/she may not touch an electrical outlet, for example) and he/she is fussing back at you (because you’ve imposed your rules, boundaries, limitations) do not give affection at that moment, rather wait for him/her to look at the outlet/maybe even reach for it and stop herself/himself, NOT touch it and THEN immediately give him/her some form of physical affection (thus reinforcing the behavior you want to nurture).
- Energy: Be mindful of the energy you are giving off. Children do NOT suffer fools. So to the best of your ability, remain calm and assertive and just watch how your child will then become calm and submissive in response.
- Body Language: This is similar to your energy. Be aware of how your mood affects your body (tense, afraid, angry, etc). Children are keen observers and are always gauging their parent’s moods and reflecting those moods back.
So, there you have it! Now it’s time for me to take my pack
outside! <Woof Woof>
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