Parenting Using Discipline Versus Punishment

Punishment and discipline represent two very different beliefs about parenting children. In response to misbehavior, punishment focuses on suffering or pain as retribution versus discipline that focuses on helping children learn from their mistakes.

PunishmentDiscipline

Suffering, pain or loss that serves as retributionNatural or logical consequences as a result of misbehavior

Belief that more severe punishment means less likely for behavior to occur againThe certainty, not the severity, of the consequence matters

Punishment remains the same no matter what the offenseDiscipline is determined based on how to best make amends for the mistake

Punishment comes from outside the childDiscipline eventually comes from inside the child

Using discipline allows you to set effective limits while maintaining loving relationships with your children.