Consequences for a 5 Yr Old Boy

I think natural consequences are the best ones of all. Whatever the infraction was, then the consequence follows. If you jump on the furniture, you sit on the floor. If you slam a door, you don't get to close your door. If you throw a fit, you leave the room. Direct, natural consequences make the most sense and are easiest to follow for him. If he does this thing, this other thing happens. It's also good for training him to think of cause and affect.

I had son who was very similar. Give him a time out, he took a nap. Send him to a room, he took a nap. He didn't care to sit there for however long you wanted him. He was the most unruffled kid. Drove me a little nuts. Turns out that a kid who likes to sit doesn't like to do chores. Go figure. So infractions led to extra work to "pay off his debt" to our little society.

My 5 year old loves his toys so they go in time out for a while when he misbehaves or is distracted by playing rather than doing what needs to be done. I also take away tv or computer time. I make him clean up messes he has made especially if he was careless or breaking the house rules. He likes to help so chores aren't a huge deal for him.

My daughter is in Kindergarten and they do the green, yellow, orange, red behavior chart. They also did it at my son's daycare so both my kids are very used to this. One day, I was at my wit's end with both of them over their contstant mis-behaving. I finally sat them down and talked to them about their behavior. They both wanted me to do a behavior chart at home too. So, I let them brainstorm the consequences and kind of the infractions that would lead to them moving their color. I think since they got to be so involved in it and it was most of their ideas being used, this has helped them to be more responsible and responsive to the chart.

They decided if they go to yellow, they have to do a chore. (Mommy picks the chore). If they go to orange, no toys. (this one kills me, but only one of my kids has been on orange once since we started this about a month ago). If they get to red, no TV.

I totally agree with the positive behavior chart and the reward system, but consequences are also necessary sometimes. Plus, if they are getting close to getting on yellow I can remind them and talk about the behavior and what they need to do instead. Fortunately, I found their "currency" and it is working for now.

as far as 'taking away' something, I take away whatever is my son's fav toy at the time. there are other things we do for consequences, like writing sentences, writing about what you did wrong and what you should've done instead, etc...

We don't use consequences (beyond the natural ones like gravity - you climb that and fall off, it will hurt). I would NOT take away food or use food as a reward - way to many people have unhealthy relationships with food. My son is 5-1/2 - we explain why he should or should not do something. If I have no good explanation of why not - ok, he can do it. We do not do rewards either. In the view of positive parenting - rewards and praise prevent a child from internalizing the sense of satisfaction and pride that comes from accomplishing something for its own value. We do 'celebrate' with him when he expresses that he is happy with something.

Natural consequences are the ones that we do NOT control (gravity eg). Logical consequences are those that are in some way related to an action (eg - jump on the couch and you don't get to sit on the couch).