I have a three year old son and he's a great little kid. Fortunately for my wife and I, he's got a great temperment. As all kids do however, he can get out of line at times...and for the most part, "time out" works for most disciplinary cases. When he goes too far and starts talking back or throws a tantrum, he's gonna get a whack on the butt. On a very rare occasion he has managed to slap my wife in the face, which at that point he's going to get one right back on his...so that way he can know how it feels and know why not to do it. Hasn't happened in a loong time, kids learn quick.
The most important thing is to show the kid as much love and caring as possible, but that doesn't mean spoiling them or letting them get away with bad behavior. Strong guidance and discipline when necessary is definitely needed, and unfortunately the 'ol "time out" thing just doesn't work for every situation. And, for goodness sakes, never ever start that counting bs, unless you are willing to follow through when you hit that magical number. I like to keep it low, as in 3. nothing ticks me off more than listening to some parent count to infinity when their kid is misbehaving or throwing a tantrum and then they never do anything about it. And, never say your going to do something and then not follow through. If I tell my son he's going to lose out on watching a movie or I won't read a book before bed because he's bad, then he doesnt get it. Consistency is key, so they know you mean business.
My last thought: no human being deserves to be abused physically or mentally, especially a child. Kids are indeed a precious gift.
