How to discipline positively? American Humane encourages parents and other caregivers to use techniques that constitute a positive and appropriate discipline of children, such as: Discipline with love Listen and communicate Focus on the behavior, not the child Respond immediately Relate the discipline to the offending behavior in duration and severity Be realistic Remain calm Be fair Do not harm or injure Set boundaries Make it a learning opportunity Be consistent Be creative Develop rules and expectations in advance Use timeouts Reward or praise desirable behaviors Model desired behavior Encourage the child’s cooperation and understanding Develop behavioral contracts and incentive charts Share