Exploring alternatives can take some time to master, and often requires several attempts to achieve success, but it has great advantages that make it worth the effort.

• It allows your children an opportunity to become capable, responsible, and self disciplined.
• It does not require punishment or negative parental intervention.
• It gives your children a tool they can use for their entire life.

 

Beware of the easiest trap to fall into while exploring alternatives: giving advice. This leads to:

• Your children becoming dependent on you for the solution to their problems.
• If your advice doesn't work, your children will think it is not their fault, you will get the blame.
• Children (like the rest of us) resist complying with solutions imposed on them by others.