x
Breaking News
More () »

How to discipline without hurting your child's self-esteem: Mom Squad with 3News' Maureen Kyle

Words matter when an argument between parent and child gets heated. Dr. Kim Bell gives us "rockstar parent" language to use in those situations.

CLEVELAND — Kids and discipline: It's a topic we can't cover enough! That's because almost every day, there is a situation where kid and parent go toe to toe, some little squabble gets heated, or you need to correct behavior in your child. But words matter!


In today's Mom Squad, Maureen Kyle talks to Dr. Kim Bell with the Hanna Perkins Center for Childhood Development. She goes in depth about how to effectively discipline without saying something to hurt your child's self-esteem.

“Because when you say, ‘Always’ or ‘Why are you like this?' That's another one, right?” says Bell as an example. “Those phrases are not a judgment on behavior; they're a judgment on personhood and that's when people start talking about how discipline can be harmful to self-esteem.”

Dr. Bell says when a child feels judged or attacked, those words can hurt their view of who they are as a person.

That’s why Bell suggests focusing on the singular action.

“I like the word, like, ‘You're having trouble today.' It's a singular event. We want these things to be like a one-off, like, ‘you're having a trouble with this’.”

Bell also talks about how to keep your cool during the power struggles and how to have impactful boundaries and discipline that doesn't involve yelling.

To see the entire conversation, go to our WKYC-Plus channel which you can find on ROKU and Fire TV. You can also see the episode on your WKYC YouTube channel or below.

MORE MOM SQUAD:


SUBSCRIBE: 
Get the day's top headlines sent to your inbox each weekday morning with the free 3News to GO! newsletter

Want to be among the first to know the most important local and national news? Download the free WKYC app and get updates right on your phone: AndroidApple.

Before You Leave, Check This Out