Setting ground rules

To be able to persist and be firm on something, parents should first set ground rules for the kids. 

Ground rules are not meant to be altered or change when one feels like it. So, parents have to be consistent with their rules. 

For example, the first rule in the Montessori my son attends is, not to fight or to hurt anyone. When this happens, the teacher will say, "STOP!" and immediately remove the children involved to a room. She would first tell them, "Kicking at people is not good. It hurts others. Now, this is the first warning. If I see this happen again, I'll have to discipline you."

Research shows that children start to understand cause and effect as young as at age 3. So, parents should first let the children know what are the ground rules and what will happen if they break the rules. Well, you would ask, "What about setting rules with children younger than 3?" 

Yea, I've those queries too. But the fact is children will get familiar with something when we keep repeating to them. That's how we learn our ABC and 123 right? As long as we have the patience and passion to build the children's character and repeat to them what is right and what is wrong, a child could not go wrong.