Who is the heavy duty disciplinarian in your household?

Question

When I was growing up, it was always my dad. He could get me to behave when my mom could not. Now, as a single parent, I wonder if I'm going to be able to get my child to behave. I don't have the "wait until your dad gets home!" option.

Answer 1

You can, because I'm definitely the disciplinarian in my house. You just have to be firm and no nonsense: the rules are the rules. One of the reasons that fathers seem to be better at it is that they use fewer words. Moms have a tendency to talk a kid to death. Keep it short and simple, leave the wordiness for good times.  

Answer 2

Just be firm, one of the best moms that I know is a single mom to 3 little girls.  Only one of the father's is involved with one daughter (and that just happened recently), but she does it all. Look on the bright side of things, you will never have anyone to tell her something different then what you already did! You can do it!

Answer 3

My husband. I do discipline my kids, but daddy gets the big stuff.

Answer 4

You can get your child to behave.

Perhaps my biggest word of advice would be to avoid bad influences.  All it takes is one crazy kid to give your child some crazy ideas.

My parents were equal disciplinarians - but I knew my dad would get a nice summary when he got home, which was more humiliating for me than anything.  I was never punished twice, which ever parent was there did the punishing.  

In my house, I am TOTALLY the disciplinarian.  If I tell dad what the kids do he "has a talk" with them.... I sure wish my parents just "talked" to me when I screwed up.

Answer 5

Being a parent is the responsibility of BOTH not just the mom or dad.  Here my husband and I talk in private so that we both are on the same page as to what is allowed and not allowed then whichever parent is home when something comes up that is the one that deals with it.  The kids know that we mean what we say and running to the other parent will not get them any where if anything it will extend the punishment.  Hopefully we are always together but if something happens and we aren't then the kids will know BOTH of us mean what we say and will punish them.

Answer 6

I would never tell my kids "wait until your dad gets home". My step mother used to say that to us and it only made us fear my dad. She caused us to see him as the big bad man who was going to be SO mad at us when he got home. I have always hated those words.

My husband and I are pretty equal and whoever happens to be there at the time just does the discipline. It's silly to leave it up to one person and then just threaten the kids with that person all the time. It's important to be on the same page when it comes to discipline.

Answer 7

I was raised only by my mom, and the only thing I would strongly suggest Is dont back down and when you say something  go through with it.

Dont ever make an empty threat to your child. Kids pick up on those so fast and will not listen if they know mom isnt really going to do what she says she would.

If you can do that then you absolutely can manage your kids. It doesnt matter if your mom or dad.

Good luck

Answer 8

Me. My husband is much more passive than I am and I think it's also because he works during the day and doesn't like his time spent at home w/the kids to be all discipline and no fun/loving etc....

Answer 9

My husband is such a wonderful father, but he's kind of a softy when it comes to the kids....Especially our little girl. ( We have 3 boys and a girl ) So when it comes to discipline in our house, it's me that does it! Every now and then my husband will get really irritated with something that the kids do and he let's them know he means business, but usually I have to hand out the punishments. The kids would probably laugh at me if I said "Wait until your dad gets home!"

Answer 10

I am.  If I left disciplining up to my husband, my kids would get away with murder.