Different Ways of Teaching Discipline to Girls and Boys London

By  Supernanny Team 29/01/2007

Most mums who have one of each will tell you that no matter how hard they’ve tried to avoid gender-stereotyping, their little boy will bend that doll at the waist, hold her by the legs and use her as a gun, and their little girl will turn that toy truck into a cot. Boys and girls just aren’t the same – so why would you use the same discipline techniques with them?

Aggressive behaviour is perfectly normal in preschoolers – in fact, it’s a sign of developmental progress: a building block for your child’s confidence and self-esteem as he gets older. But sometimes the new assertiveness your child is showing can manifest itself in anti-social behaviour – excessively rough play, kicking and biting are obvious examples – and you’ll need to take steps to rein him in.

If you’re going experiencing discipline problems, prepare to embrace the differences and try these approaches the next time you’re battling their bad behaviour…

"That’s my toy!"

Sharing is one of the main tantrum triggers among siblings and playmates who are close in age.

Girls: Focus on feelings - Girls tend to be more considerate and are better able to express empathy. Say this: "Alice will be so happy if you let her join in your game and play with your ball."

Boys: Play on the practical - Boys are great at problem solving and co-operate better if they can see the upside. Say this: " It’s great to have someone to play with and it’ll be such fun, so which toy could Alice have to join in?"

"I don’t WANNAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Young children are smart enough to know that if they scream or act aggressively they’re more likely to get their way, especially in a public place.

Girls: Talk it over - Verbal skills progress much faster in girls than boys – girls generally string words together earlier and their sentences are longer and more complex. Say this: "You don’t have to shout, tell me quietly and we’ll make it better."

Boys: Veto the violence - Because boys aren’t as good at expressing themselves verbally, they often express their frustration physically by hitting, biting or kicking. You may need to remind your son he can use words to tell you what’s wrong. Say this: "Don’t hit or bite. Calm down and speak to me about what you want."

"Gimme that!"

If toddlers and pre-schoolers see something they want, they take it – and it won’t matter if another child is playing with it at the time.

Girls: Criticise constructively - Because girls are more sensitive they’re much more aware of what others think of them. Say this: "You’re usually so kind to the other children – they might not want to play with you if you snatch toys away."

Boys: Spell it out - Because boys are more direct and confrontational they’re not so interested in what other kids and adults think of them. This means you need to nip some behaviours in the bud right away, without going into a long-winded explanation as to why he’s done wrong. Say this: "Stop that righ...

Click here to read more from the Super Nanny