Your child is no longer a baby or toddler; they are now on their way to learning self-discipline. This is an important part of your child’s life. Because your four year old has begun the journey to self-discipline, you are going to have to set some limits. When your child is four or near four they are at a stage of development where they are going to want their own independence. They are still wanting to be the baby but also wanting to be the big boy or girl. When creating limits with them, you will want to try to be creative. Remember to be firm so they know who the boss is but give them a little independence too.

When you say “no” to your child, stand your grounds. Keep the answer as no even if they beg. Be firm in your decisions. Remind them of the rules and correct behavior. Keep your rules reasonable. You will find your child will be much more likely to honor your rules if they are fair. Try not to always use the word no. Try to use a variety of words like don’t or please stop. You might also want to use the words no and don’t when you want to say no to whatever they are doing, permanently.

Having problems asking your child to do certain tasks? When you want your child to do something try to be simple in your requests. When they ask why, don’t go into a long explanation on why. You will want to be straight forward and simple with them. Your children will need you to be clear when giving them directions. A long explanation might just confuse them and make it harder for them to understand. You will also want to reward your child for good behavior. As your child grows older, give them more responsibilities. Let them know and feel trusted and give them genuine and generous doses of praise to help them feel loved and appreciated.

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