The Seven Primary Principles of Parenting

Wrong

a.    Bring up each child in precisely the same way.

b.   Inadvertently reinforce maladaptive behaviour.

c.    You cannot, not attend to maladaptive behaviour, because of problems in yourself.

d.   Children imitate maladaptive behaviour you reinforce.

e.    The child reinforces your nagging by eventually complying.

f.     The desperate struggle to conserve energy makes you give up.

g.     Couples polarize on discipline etc. as a reenactment of unresolved problems from the childhood.

Right

a.    Provide needs according to the child's blueprint.

b.   Reinforce, with attention, the behaviour you want.

c.    Resolve your problems so you know why you are not able to discipline your attention to desirable behaviour.

d.   Reinforce, with your attention, the child who is exhibiting the behaviour you desire and the others will follow.

e.    Request a child do something once only. Commend them if they do; ignore them if they don't.

f.     It is worth the extra effort because eventually it will save you a great deal of time and energy.

g.    Understand your unresolved problems with insight and, by practice, engage in the behaviour that is most beneficial to you all.