[net.kids] Imposed Discipline

dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (Paul DuBois) (05/10/85)

> And while I'm on a roll, is there a way to get through to preschool
> (heck! any school) teachers that imposed discipline negates self
> discipline?

Maybe, if you could show that it's always true.  Which it isn't.
Seems to me you're saying that parental discipline is bad; it is, after
all, imposed.  Is it not possible to disipline with the explicit
intent to *develop* self-discipline, e.g., by explaining why teeth
have to be brushed, rooms have to be picked up, homework has to be
done, wastebaskets have to be emptied, tables have to be set, dishes have
to be washed, &c, &c.

Sure, if discipline is mindless, it only produces the external behavior
without understanding on the part of the child.  But to fail to impose
discipline is to fail the child.

Or am I misreading you?

-- 
                                                                    |
Paul DuBois     {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois        --+--
                                                                    |
"The presence of weeds in the garden is not explained by            |
  saying that the gardener has not pulled them yet."