DISCIPLINARY APPROACHES ADOPTED BY PARENTS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PUPILS IN BENIN CITY, EDO STATE.

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the disciplinary approaches adopted by parents of early childhood pupils in Benin City, Nigeria. In order to carry out this study, five research questions were raised as a guide for the study. The study adopted cross-sectional survey research design. The population of the study comprised of parents of early childhood pupils in Benin City. The sample consists of One hundred (100) parents of early childhood pupils selected through purposive sampling technique. The instrument for study was a questionnaire assessing their disciplinary practices, demographic information, and child behavior which was designed after review of related literature. The instrument was validated by three lecturers in the institute of Education. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha. The data generated was analyzed using frequency distribution, mean and standard deviation. Results showed that parents primarily used authoritative and authoritarian approaches, with significant correlations between parents' tribe, education level, age, and disciplinary approach. Additionally, a significant relationship was found between disciplinary approach and child behavior. The study highlights the importance of promoting positive discipline practices, providing support for parents and caregivers, and considering cultural sensitivity in early childhood education settings. Based on this, it was recommended that parents and caregivers should adopt positive discipline practices, such as setting clear boundaries and using positive reinforcement, to promote healthy child developmen