Discipline is a term people toss around a lot. But what is it exactly? Is it the ability to control your impulses? The ability to focus on complex tasks even when you don’t feel like it? Or maybe the ability to adhere to rules and guidelines even if you don’t like them?
These all may be true. And when it comes to children, these are all essential skills. But most children don’t seem to have this trait. It’s rare to find a self-disciplined child.
What traits characterize such a child? And how can you tell if your child has self-discipline?
- Self-control. You can illustrate self-control with the ability to delay gratification. A child who can do that is likely to be considered self-disciplined.
– One example of this is a child with a short temper. He may tend to lash out at others and yell at them, but those actions can show self-discipline if he can control his anger and postpone his reaction. - A strong sense of morality or ethics. Self-disciplined children have values and standards which they follow. Their parents trust them to behave in public or their peer group.
– When they go to school, disciplined children hold themselves to the school’s standards and rules, even if they don’t like them. - Self-motivated. This trait describes the ability of a child to initiate tasks. Disciplined children tend to take the initiative and try things on their own. And they don’t give up easily on activities that they find challenging to complete.
– A child with self-discipline doesn’t need constant reminders or nagging from his parents, because he can motivate himself. The most obvious example of a self-motivated child is the ability to strive for excellence, regardless of any incentives they might receive.
– Such children take action because they find pleasure in doing the right thing, not because they can get something. - Resilient. This trait is a quality that allows people to bounce back from adversity. Disciplined children don’t give up easily, even when things get tough.
– Resilience is a person’s ability to withstand failure and hardship but remain optimistic and motivated for success.
– A famous example of resilience is Thomas Edison. His approach to the invention of the lightbulb was that he would not give up until he found a solution. In one interview, he stated that the lightbulb was not a result of 1,000 failures – it resulted from 1,000 steps.
– Children with the ability to move on despite failures have great discipline. - Joyful. Every parent wants their children to be happy. Interestingly, parents who seek happiness over personal discipline might be undermining the development of self-discipline in their children.
– If a child always gets what he wants when he wants it, he forms a habit of asking for more, even if he doesn’t need it. This action may give him an incredible feeling of satisfaction in the short term, but it could lead to trouble later.
– On the other hand, self-discipline is key to success. It’s no wonder that self-disciplined children tend to be happy. Why? Because whenever they encounter a challenge, they can rise above it and accomplish their goals. Self-disciplined children grow into happy adults.
Discipline is an essential quality. Without discipline, children do not direct their energy towards learning. They waste time in unproductive pursuits that don’t interest them and don’t develop the necessary habits to create success later on in life.
It’s crucial to instill a sense of self-discipline in children. It helps them develop the habits that will make them successful throughout their lives.