Is disciplining children for mischievous antics good for their future?

[Helen Akoth]

I concur with you that Mark's mother was lovingly wise in the way she disciplined her children. Even Mark and the siblings learned not to take the acts of disciplining negatively. I believe parents and other caregivers should strive to make disciplining a tool for pointing out and correcting a wrong behaviour, and not as way of severely punishing their children. This way, the children learn to receive it well, like Mark and the siblings did. This also contributes to their later successes in life.

[Jane Ogwang]

I believe in disciplining children, and Mark's story cements that belief. Parents should be able to instill their ideals and values in children by whichever necessary means. It rarely backfires.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I agree with you that Mark's parents seemed to strike a good balance between setting boundaries and allowing their sons to explore and develop their personalities. It's important for parents to establish rules and consequences for misbehavior, but they should also encourage their children's creativity and independence. It's possible that Mark's early experiences of testing boundaries and being disciplined in a reasonable and consistent way helped shape his resilience and determination as an adult. It's also important to note that every child is different, and what works well for one family may not be effective for another. Ultimately, parents need to find the approach that works best for their own children and family dynamics.

[Ebele Ekelobi]

While I agree that extreme forms of discipline should be avoided as they could turn children into bitter and traumatised adults, I believe discipline helps children grow into respectful and wholesome adults.

[Oluoma Chukwu]

While I agree and subscribe to punishment as a way of correction, I do not agree with some of the things Mark and his siblings went through. It's not a hard and fast rule that disciplining children would make them better and they should know why they are being disciplined. I'm glad Mark turned out alright.

[Smrithi Arun]

I believe disciplining children is a tricky subject. Each child responds differently to different forms of “discipline”. Being harsh with children may do more harm than good. They may start fearing the thought of coming to you for anything and end up falling deeper into the pit of problems. Being too lenient, may ruin their lives too. So, disciplining a child is very subjective, but I still believe that hitting should never be a form of discipline.

[Success Azuka]

Yes of course. I agree with disciplining children at the earlier stage. You can control them more when they are still young. The corrections also stick with them when they are at a younger age.

[Diamond Harrell]

I think, as mentioned, it's really about the type of discipline. Kids need to learn discipline. They need to learn about consequences for their actions so that they can have a fighting chance as adults. It just doesn't need to be done in a way that traumatizes them or causes issues for them later down the line. I think his parents did a great job with him as they were able to maneuver that.

[Aisha Yakub]

I consider discipline to be crucial. Children must understand that their acts have repercussions. Instead of making kids afraid to make mistakes, discipline should be implemented in a way that helps them learn from their failures. Without discipline, kids will become entitled, morally bankrupt adults who think they can get away with anything because they always have.

[Anna_Hernandez]

Disciplining children is a challenging task for parents, and it often feels like a no-win situation because there will always be someone who thinks you're doing it wrong.

I personally believe that positive reinforcement, time-outs, and logical consequences are necessary to teach children right from wrong. The best approach to discipline may vary depending on the child's personality, behavior, and specific likes and dislikes. For example, a child who enjoys reading may respond well to having their favorite book taken away as a consequence for misbehavior. On the other hand, a child who loves playing video games may respond better to a time-out or loss of screen time.

While many parents wish for a handbook, the reality is that raising children is a unique and dynamic process, and mistakes are inevitable. As long as parents and children learn from their mistakes and grow together, the likelihood of creating a respectful and responsible adult is higher.

[Akshi Porwal]

I think there needs to be a balance between discipline and letting a child explore. Too many punishments can make a kid restricted in their thinking capacity and even resent their parents for it.

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

I am a firm believer in disciplining children. I believe it is necessary. However, the approach is what matters to me. The end goal of disciplining a child is to teach them. Those lessons stick and when they are still young, they don't disregard those teachings.

[FunkyFlowerLady]

Reading about Mark's parents' disciplinary methods made me feel conflicted because of how the kids reacted later. In my opinion, it was a game of chance that might have gone either way for Mark and his siblings. We can now enjoy this book since Mark was correct, which is a blessing.

[Joyjim]

Discipline yielded good results for Mark. Parents who discipline their children with kindness truly love their children.

[Chris Alex Powell]

Disciplining children is good for them because they learn that they are wrong and can easily adapt at the point. It is easier for them to change their behaviors at that point than at a later point in life.