The word “discipline” comes up in every Say Yes to No discussion.  Self-discipline…school discipline…Are we trying to turn our kids into little robots, following orders?  Most emphatically no.  The gift of self-discipline frees a child to actually think and question more often.  Self-discipline leads to success.   The more successful a child is, the more competent they are which raises their self-esteem.  A competent child realizes they have choices and will more often than not choose the path to success.

We associate the word “discipline” with rules and restrictions.  But the actual root of the word comes from the Latin word meaning “to teach.”  When we teach our kids to manage themselves, we are giving them a gift for life – self-discipline.