Logical consequences

What It Means

A logical consequence is an outcome a parent or teacher puts in place that connects directly to the child's behavior. Toys left on the floor get put away for the rest of the day; a game gets played after the chores it was waiting on are done. CDC's toddlerToddlerA child from 1 to 3 years old, the stage CDC's parenting guidance places between infancy and the preschool years. See more pages group it with losing a privilege, meaning something the child likes is taken away because of the behavior. Unlike a natural consequenceNatural consequencesThe result that follows a child's choice on its own, with no adult arranging it, such as a thrown toy that breaks and can't be played with. See more, an adult decides on it and carries it out.

How Parents Say It

• "If the bike stays in the driveway, it goes in the garage for tomorrow."
• "Chores first, then you can go out."
• "You threw the sand, so we're leaving the sandbox."

The Breakdown

Examples by age

For school-age children, HealthyChildren.org suggests explaining family expectations and reasonable consequences ahead of time and tying privileges to responsibility.

Related or unrelated. Dreikurs gave a clear contrast: taking away a favorite TV show because the garbage didn't go out has no logical connection, while waiting to play until the chores are done does.

How to use one

1. Say ahead of time what will happen, calmly and in few words.
2. Follow through right away if the behavior happens.
3. Keep your tone neutral; Dreikurs wrote that a consequence used as a threat or in anger becomes punishment.
4. Give the privilege back once your child is ready to try again.

When to talk to the doctor. If consequences never seem to change anything, or your child's behavior is causing real trouble at home or school, talk with your pediatrician.

Where It Comes From

Rudolf Dreikurs, who built on Alfred Adler's psychology, discussed logical consequences in his book Children: The Challenge. Jane Nelsen's Positive Discipline site says he saw them as useful for only one of the goals behind misbehavior, and Nelsen now steers parents toward working out solutions with the child, tested against four words: related, respectful, reasonable and helpful.

Good to Know

CDC's toddler pages say a consequence should follow the behavior right away so a young child understands why it happened, and that a reward your child has already earned is theirs and shouldn't be taken back for later misbehavior. The same pages warn that spanking, yelling at or embarrassing a child can weaken your relationship and lead to more problems, and the AAP advises against spanking and harsh verbal discipline.

Related Terms and Categories

• Natural consequences

  The result that follows a child's choice on its own, with no adult arranging it, such as a thrown toy that breaks and can't be played with.

• Positive discipline

  Discipline that teaches a child how to behave through modeling, clear limits, calm consequences and attention, without hitting, yelling or shaming.

• Time-out

  A short, set break in a time-out spot after a misbehavior a child was warned about, about one minute per year of age in CDC's toddler guidance.

Parenting and child development