Teaching Discipline Skills to Parents

Abstract

The advantages to parents of gaining behavioral control over their young children are obvious. They will be less frequently embarrassed and inconvenienced by disruptive behavior, they will not have to leave work as frequently in response to difficult behavior at school or day care, they will have an easier time obtaining substitute care, and their day-to-day caregiving responsibilities will be much less stressful. However, as advocates for young children, we are less concerned with making life easier for parents than we are with maximizing the happiness, safety, and developmental potential of their children.