can gentle discipline ever work in a larger family?

RueDesTroisFreres · 2015-11-07 18:45:12

On a rare occasion I had just 2 of my brood of 4 with me to pop to shop this afternoon. Dd was in buggy and Ds (4) tantrummed *all* the way to the high street: screaming, and complaining about something I couldn't change. Talking made it worse so I just ignored and walked on. He has just discovered swear words and made use of the f word a lot on the high st, obv wanting a reaction. I ignored, and ignored others horrified looks [blush] When we got to the shop I pulled him to one side, knelt down to his level and told him gently but firmly that I didn't like the words he'd used and using them would never get him what he wants, then went on with shopping. And he stopped, no more language, no more tantrum, some light whining until we left and then a pleasant scoot home. Trouble is, I know if the other 2 Ds had been there too it would not have gone that way. It doesn't matter that I ignore bad behaviour because they react to each other which makes it really hard to find a gentle, non-consequence laden way of dealing with such bad behaviour. Am I missing something? I hope I am. Talk to me about discipline in your families please. My 4 dc are between 1 and 8, the 3 eldest being boys.