A. Guidance is what you give children to help them develop control and a sense of responsibility for their own actions. Punishment is a penalty you impose on children when they do not obey the rules. The difference between guidance and punishment is that guidance involves helping children develop control over their own actions. For example, you want children to avoid hitting each other because they realize it hurts, not because they are afraid you will punish them.1 The goal of teaching children to manage their own behavior is self-control and selfdiscipline. Giving children positive feedback for positive behavior will help you and the children in your care reach that goal. Punishment attempts to control behavior through fear. Punishment for negative behavior does not help children learn to control themselves—manage their own actions and words appropriately—when you are not watching. In fact, punishment may reinforce (encourage) poor behavior by getting your attention. In the long run, however, both you and the children will enjoy one another and benefit more from an approach that rewards good behavior with your attention