When children misbehave, parents feel that sense of panic that we all experience when our kids misbehave. We feel like we failed as parents and that our children are going to grow up to be miserable. But instead of jumping to conclusions, parents should focus on the behaviour itself. How do children learn? By watching and learning from the behaviour of the people around them. 

If you act in the proper way, they are much more likely to follow your lead, and act in the same way. However, when it comes to discipline, if you do it in a punitive way, they are going to respond by misbehaving even more. This only sets a bad example for the kids and makes it harder to teach them the difference between appropriate behaviour (and appropriate discipline) and inappropriate behaviour.

Often, younger siblings don’t have the benefit of learning from an older sibling about how to handle certain situations. While your youngest child may not be old enough to understand that there are consequences to their actions, they do have their own mind. Having a good handle on how to handle your younger child’s behaviour can make things a lot easier on all of you. 

So here are some tips on how to properly discipline younger siblings:

• Stay Calm

Now that your younger sibling is growing up and becoming more independent, it is very likely that will be a pain at times. Still, they feel free to do whatever they feel like doing, and whenever they feel like it. Whether it’s waking you up early or waking you up in the middle of the night, causing trouble while you’re eating or playing, feeling enraged by their actions is a fact of life during childhood, regardless of how old you are. 

When it comes to parenting, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to discipline. However, one thing is for sure, you can never go wrong in modelling your parents’ discipline. So, if you’re feeling stuck on how to properly discipline your younger sibling, remember: to take a deep breath, be calm and objective, and above all, remember that every emotion is temporary.

• Never Show Your Frustration.

For many kids, being disciplined by an older sibling is no fun at all. It might mean having to wait to get on the computer, having to share toys, or having to share the “good” toilet. It can even mean having to share a new pair of shoes—the worst! But if you’re a younger sibling, you must remember that you are expected to obey your older siblings because if you don’t, there will be consequences.

It’s important to set firm boundaries early with your kids. Not only will it set a good example, but it will help with your older children as well. When they’re old enough to understand, they’ll be able to respect you more. Though discipline can be challenging, showing your frustration is only going to cause more tension and tears. Take a deep breath and stay calm. You can show your kids a lot of love, but you can’t give too much, and you will only evoke more anger.

• Do Walk Away

If you have a kid with a particularly annoying little sister, you probably want to walk away, so you can Zen out in the bathroom in peace. Or maybe you just want to ignore her for a little while. Either way, if walking away doesn’t work, you may want to do other things that don’t involve talking to her at all. A trip to the library, for example, would be a good option.

As kids, we grow up taught to be polite, but there are times when (like it or not) it’s just okay to be rude. Sometimes, your sister being annoying may be one of those times. But, if your little sister is being really annoying, and taking a deep breath doesn’t help, you can walk away from her. Go into another room and do something that’s just for you – read a book or play with your favourite toys. Sometimes, being alone can help you calm down.

By following the advice and tips in this article, it is very likely that you will be able to cope with disciplining your younger sibling.