How is "re-direction" an effective form of discipline?

Question

Isn't that just teaching a child that if they do something wrong, they will just get to play with another toy?

Please help me understand this.

Answer 1

Re-direction is not discipline. Sticking a paperclip into a light socket is dangerous. You don't give the kid something else to stick the paperclip into. You discipline the child about the light socket, take away the paperclip, and then turn their attention to an acceptable activity.

Children will do anything for attention. They don't know from positive or negative attention. So, if you just discipline the child and walk away, they are left without attention and might do the same thing again to regain the attention. Giving the child something else to do and then giving good attention is reinforcing.

Take something simple that most parents encounter. Your kid takes his crayons and draws on the wall. Bad, bad!! Take the crayons away. Now you have to play with something else because you were bad with the crayons.

Sometime later, give back crayons with paper. Child misses attention so the child draws on wall again. Bad, bad!! Take the crayons away. Now you have to play with something else because you were bad with the crayons.

Sometime later, give back crayons with paper. Reinforce with draw on paper, not walls. Compliment child for drawing on paper. How pretty...nice...beautiful, etc. Rinse and Repeat. Child learns not to draw on wall because drawing on wall gets attention but loses crayons. Drawing on paper gets attention and feel good words. Child begins to learn that good attention and bad attention are different.

For older kids who do this, a bucket of soapy water and a rag can do wonders. You did it - wash it off. Child learns that drawings on walls get washed off (by himself!). Drawings on paper get hung up on walls and admired. Interesting, huh?

Answer 2

There is more to redirection than giving a child another toy. Redirection involves not only giving other choices, but teaching children the appropriate ways to communicate there wants/needs and to interact with others. Also, the use of redirection varies according to the circumstances. In a minor situation, it can be used on it's own, but when dealing with more severe negative behaviors it can be used with other forms of discipline. One example of redirection is when a child is crying because she wants a toy her sister is playing with. She has not committed a major offense, but it creates a negative environment for all. You redirect the child- your sister is playing with that now, when she is done you may play with it, while you are waiting do you want to play with ____ or _____. If the child had hit or bit her sister, that is a different situation. You would pull her away, discipline according to age (firm no hitting, gentle touch, time out, apology, etc.). Then when child is calm you teach her what she should have done it that situation. Another example is a 1-year-old who throws food/cup on floor when she does not want to eat any more. This is not a huge offense, but is not appropriate. You redirect the child to the appropriate action- in my daughter's case, she was taught to put her dishes on the table adjacent to her tray when she was done. If she threw it on the floor, I would tell her and show her "put it on the table"- helping her as needed. It does no good to yell at her (doesn't correct the problem or teach her what she should do), to just take her out of chair (rewarding her by giving her what she wanted when she displayed the negative behavior), or taking food away (didn't want it anyway). You will find that punishing a child without some form of redirection will not usually achieve the result you want- which is to have them demonstrate appropriate behavior.

Answer 3

That's not what redirection is. Mind you I am not an expert at it, but in my opinion it's catching the behaviour before it happens or just at the beginning when their is still time to distract them. It's not a form of punishment--discipline means teaching them how to behave, and redirection sort of sets up a detour from the wrong path they are about to embark on. For example, stopping a tantrum in a store by giving the child a new toy would not be redirection, it would be rewarding bad behaviour. BUT if my 2 year old is fighting with her sister over the same barbie, I might remind her that she got a new barbie for her birthday and where is it? let's go find it?

Answer 4

The distraction Can teach them to play with a different toy instead of the first dangerous one. You have to tell them 'no' explain why they can't do what they are doing, then get them interested in something new. Once they grasp the concept of
"I can do this without getting into trouble" it's time to move onto new disciplines.

Answer 5

I think it depends on the "crime". If a child hits or bites, obviously redirection isn't going to work. But if a baby is playing with something he/she shouldn't be playing with then re-direction works well.

Answer 6

Try to imagine that you are a new employee at work. You don't know the procedures, where things are kept, or how the schedule works. You have responsibilities, but you aren't sure what they are yet. You like your co-workers, but they are all working on different projects. It is your first day.

Now imagine your boss. How is she going to help you find your footing? Should she reprimand you anytime you take a mis-step? Should she spell out what your responsibilities are, and where things go?

Obviously, someone showing you how to behave and what your job is will help you more. Harsh reprimands will create stress and not really give you much direction.

It is the same for children. They are still learning the rules, and how to behave. Simple guidance is enough to keep a happy attentive child on track.

Answer 7

As parents we all have to choose our battles or we would be saying no all day! So some of the time, instead of punishment or consequences or screaming, we can redirect them from doing something wrong, to doing something right.

One example: if they start throwing a ball around the living room, tell them they CAN throw a ball outside.

Answer 8

It is NOT an effective form of discipline as you already know..
It is liberal nonsense method of child rearing which creates very immature and poorly adjusted adults..

Answer 9

I think that it is a terrible way of disicpline for children over one. they are only learning that if they do wrong someone will tell them what to do differnt. Society does not live this way. What is your child going to do when he gets a real job and the boss is a real hard a@#? Do you deal with a boss that way now? Why would we think that this is a good way to raise our children? Children crave disipline so they know what their boundrys are. That is why they test us. How are they supposed to learn if they can't leant the differnce between right and wrong.

Answer 10

I think that redirection is for real youngsters. I cant see it being useful for anyone over 2 years of age.