This article aims to share one of the many parenting approaches that exist today. Use this information to learn more about it and take from this text whatever resonates most with you. "If you don't pick up your toys, I'm going to throw them away," "If you don't brush your teeth, there's no TV," "If you keep fighting, I'll punish you both." Has this happened to you? How often does it come up for you? Do you think you could do things differently? As parents, it's very common to say these kinds of phrases to get our children to do what we ask. However, it's harder to follow an instruction when we don't understand why we're being asked or what purpose it serves. In these kinds of situations, what tends to work best is doing things differently — being disruptive, in a sense. Being disruptive means approaching things in a different way, finding ways to help our children understand what's expected of them, what's wrong, and, overall, guiding them in the best possible way. In short, this is very similar to a parenting approach centered on positive discipline. To understand this concept, let's first talk about positivity. Have you ever known someone with a positive outlook on life? What's their mood usually like? What's their relationship with others like? What kinds of things do they often say? When we're around positive people, their mere presence makes us feel good. And we're talking about people with realistic positive thinking — people who understand that bad things are temporary, not permanent, that failure is an obstacle and not an end, who avoid overgeneralizing, who bounce back quickly from setbacks, and who tend to have better relationships with others. People with extreme positivity, on the other hand, don't calculate risks, assume everything will simply work out, and sit back waiting for things to happen; they tend to think rigidly and take little responsibility for their circumstances. Coming back to the "positive" in positive parenting, we're talking about being able to notice everything your children do accomplish, and everything they're interested in that could support their healthy development. In other words, this parenting approach means being, for our children: respectful, encouraging, genuinely interested in them, and kind, while fostering life skills — all with the goal of making sure that, at the age they're at now, these lessons have a long-term impact on their lives, helping them become respectful people who can solve problems effectively and build better relationships with others, among other things. If you've decided to practice positive discipline with your children, here are some techniques to keep in mind: Connect before correcting. We all feel better when we know we're being heard, validated, and understood. First listen, then validate what they're feeling, and then help them understand the situation. Be firm without losing kindness. Express what needs to happen using the right words. You don't have to choose between the two. Focus on solutions, not punishments. Punishments almost always create unpleasant emotions; showing children that even within adversity there are good options that can benefit them builds responsibility and resilience. Let them make their own decisions. Give them room to choose — you can guide them toward what seems best for their development, which helps them build self-confidence, essential at this stage of life. If they make the wrong choice, help them face the consequences. Lead by example. We learn more from what we see others do than from what we're told, and the same is true for our children — they're watching everything we say and do, so help them by being a role model. Remember that your actions carry far more weight than your words. Positive discipline is documented as effective, since it's based on encouraging parents to treat their children with love and respect without losing the authority needed to guide them. That said, treating your children with love doesn't automatically mean you're practicing this specific approach — and if you're following a different parenting style, that doesn't make it any less valid. Remember, the better informed we are, the better equipped we'll be to choose the parenting approach that fits us as responsible adults and that works best for our children — that's the approach you should follow. The education your children receive with us is based on curiosity, collaboration, and problem-solving, nurturing self-esteem, independence, creativity, and emotional self-regulation from these early years, hand in hand with families. In our teaching and learning process, our task is to raise confident, happy, and curious students who are well prepared for the stages of life and school years ahead. All of this takes place within a community that upholds and promotes values, and fosters empathy and a global mindset.
