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Disciplining Kids

Disciplining Kids

Date: Apr 02 2010

Themes: Family, How To

Grammar: Verbs with "-ing"

Intro

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We’ve all seen kids screaming, throwing temper tantrums, or misbehaving in public. As a parent, it can be difficult to know what to do when your child acts out. A stern lecture doesn’t always do the trick. But you don’t want to be accused of being cruel for spanking your children, either.

These days, spanking is less acceptable than it used to be. Even though a lot of parents still use spanking to discipline their kids, many people fear that spanking your children will teach them that violence is OK. Find out what Beren and Marni think parents should do to keep their children in line.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Beren

Beren

Marni:  So do you have any firm beliefs on disciplining kids?

Beren:  As far as like spanking versus timeouts or…

Marni:  Right.

Beren:  Um, not really. I don’t know. I ask myself, you know, if I ever have children, how will I discipline them? Will I offer positive reinforcement for the good behavior?

Marni:  Absolutely.

Beren:  I don’t know, it just seems like training a dog, I guess. It seems like such a weird thing to do.

Marni:  Well and I think there’s a different mind shift. Like there’s a stigma now about spanking whereas when I was a little child, you know, nobody really thought about it. And certainly back in the 50s and things it was like sort of what you did. But now it’s all about timeouts like you were saying, and maybe taking things away, like taking away allowances and privileges, and that seems to be more of the philosophy.

Beren:  I’m not totally anti-spanking.

Marni:  Sometimes a good spanking seems to do the trick.

Beren:  Sometimes a good whack gets them in line.

 

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Discussion

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Beren doesn’t have strong feelings about the best way to discipline kids. She likes the idea of offering positive reinforcement for good behavior, but she is not sure it is the best way to keep kids in line. She thinks spanking might be necessary sometimes.

Marni points out that spanking is not as acceptable as it used to be. More parents try alternative forms of discipline, such as giving their children timeouts or taking things away from them if they act out. Marni remembers that when she was a kid, more parents spanked their kids.

Do you think spanking is OK? What is the best way to discipline children?

 

Comments

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 julito

julito

Argentina

princessanika,    me too ,but we must not forget that we also were children … :))))  

10:48 AM Nov 20 2012 |

1 person likes this

princessanika

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

when the children are bad i wanna kill themYell

10:44 AM Nov 20 2012 |

finna.liu

finna.liu

China

i think the best way to discipline children is keeping the balance between spanking and offering positive reinforcement!Laughing

02:33 PM Aug 05 2012 |

1 person likes this

CatcheR

CatcheR

Iceland

I think spanking is necessary sometimes, you know when I was a child my dad relly very strict and deciplined his kid to right and behave rightly, but mostly child I admit that I was naughtiest ever because you know when you are the only child you must know how you can get whatever you want, But sadly I can’t do anything I want. 

The best way to dicipline the child is to explain and talk to them nicely, make them understand better rather than spanking or give them good smack/ 

02:53 PM May 20 2012 |

Madline

Madline

Jordan

I think the best solution is to talk to them or tell them a fiction story which include thier bad habbits or bad behavours and show them through the story how the bad child is treated and how the good one is treated to let them distinguish between the good and the bad I tried this one its affecting one its ur turn to try it ;)

09:03 AM Jun 06 2011 |

ciccleo

ciccleo

Brazil

I work as an English teacher for 8 years, I have students from 6 to 70 years old and I strongly agree spanking is not a good way to discipline children. It's better to talk to them, show how bad can be some actions and maybe let them wihotu tv or games for some days are better solutions!

04:55 PM May 22 2010 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Humm I guess a little spanking is one of the way to keep chidren in line…I guess a good punishment like take off their privileges are another form to make them better behaved ;)

08:00 PM May 07 2010 |

abdu al-rhman

Yemen

think it is a common phenomenon that peopel get appreciation if you do things correct and people get punish if you do things incorrect. Therefore, I agree parent try to spank the child.

08:23 PM Apr 10 2010 |

Ca_Brazil

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

the best way is: firstly parents should give them good examples and be firms with them. when its necessary say no, just say do not do that. i dont think there is any really good recipe to teach them, each one with your own.

09:52 PM Apr 08 2010 |

shinasia

shinasia

Oman

well,, i advocate to listen to the child why they did so

and strongly disagree to punish them phisically

11:21 AM Apr 08 2010 |

zoebaby

zoebaby

China

as i known,we used to be spanked when we were child,my mom always knows how to get us in line..  it rides on whatever the kids have done…but i really be inpatient when kids throw temper tantrums.

10:17 AM Apr 08 2010 |

gabikubota

gabikubota

Brazil

I think spanking can be ok when the kid really deserves it. Because sometimes kids can be like little demons…...Laughing

 

07:56 PM Apr 05 2010 |

s id

Saudi Arabia

 i think spanking may be ok . but it`s best that taking  things away  from them    

07:27 PM Apr 05 2010 |

jfk

Slovakia

one of the best ways how to keep children in link could be hunger or genetic modification, couldn´t it? 

07:13 PM Apr 05 2010 |

totor1964

totor1964

Brazil

I think using force in any form against children is out of the question. It's cowardice. There are other ways of punishing. If you use violence, spanking is, as a form of punishment you will only create a fear response which will not be good for the parent-child dialogue and relationship.

11:34 AM Apr 05 2010 |

招致名

招致名

China

spanking children is very common in China ,especially in countryside. Some time parents act  like this is also act out .How can a example be set without they own right behavior and in line action?! U need to set a good example to the little ones and teach they what they should do what should not .Spanking may be workable for a while ,Taking away their allowances may keep them act nicely momentarily,but the positive reinforcement is just the right and educational way to lead they to correct  the misbehavior and feel they should change ,cause act nicely will be rewarded.

08:25 AM Apr 05 2010 |

usmumin

Uzbekistan

I think it depends on the condition which parent and children are in, we connot say that's right or not…according to sitiation one will decide… i think in some case spanking is not so bad

08:02 AM Apr 05 2010 |

mossavi

mossavi

Afghanistan

i agree with Agestone’s idea

07:46 AM Apr 05 2010 |

AgeStone

AgeStone

China

spanking is ok. in fact .my parents used to  spank me lot when i was little.And they said i used to  act out .that was got me in line . personly i dont really   down  with whacking  child force them got in line.  it may hurt child feeling.and  leave the bad memory  with them when  they are   young….............

06:56 AM Apr 05 2010 |

dickybabby

Hong Kong

I think it is a common phenomenon that peopele get appreciation if you do things correct and people get punish if you do things incorrect. Therefore, I agree parent try to spank the child.

04:58 AM Apr 05 2010 |

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