You know your 21-month-old needs firm limits, but your partner prefers to negotiate with her. Or your partner was spanked as a child, and doesn’t understand why you have such an aversion to this method; after all, he ended up just fine. One day your partner is the good cop, and the next day you are – your approaches seem to depend more on the moods you’re each in than on your child’s behavior.
Learn to work together – along with other caregivers, as desired (e.g., grandparents, nannies) – to find an approach to disciplining your child that is collaborative, effective, and feels comfortable to all parties involved.