What Is Your Philosophy Regarding Discipline?

In dealing with children and adolescents, I believe that they do need to be given clear guidelines and boundaries, the earlier the better. I don't support corporal punishment, and shouting and getting angry is usually counter-productive. Nor is it fair to have rules just for the sake of it.

What I do strongly believe is that when children know where the limits are - and basically, the limits of one person's freedom are where another person's freedom begins - they are definitely, and observably, happier. I frequently see families where the whole family rhythm is really dictated by the whims of a child or teenager - where they go, what they eat etc - and in every such case it strikes me that not only are the parents exhausted and stressed, the child is too.

From a teacher's perspective, it's harder to impose boundaries because the group is much larger, but that makes it all the more vital - no class can function without discipline. Providing the school and parents support the teacher, a class with clear rules and respect - on all sides - will produce children/ teenagers who are much happier, much less bored and much more successful.