Discipline and Punishment - The Key Differences Between These Two Terms

The words discipline and punishment are often used to mean the same thing. However, they are very different from each other. Discipline is the technique of helping a child to learn self-control and how to behave in a way that is socially acceptable to others. Discipline should always focus on the positive reinforcement and self esteem of the child. The purpose of discipline is to help a child learn how to control their behavior and emotions and should be further reinforced with firm reminders. Punishment is a style of discipline. There are several forms of physical punishment including spanking or hitting. And, there are psychological punishments such as taking away privileges or sending a child to their room. The purpose of punishment is control the unacceptable behavior.