---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes discipline, which means 'to…"
description: "\"Sometimes discipline, which means 'to teach,' is confused with criticism. Children-as well as people of all ages-improve behavior from love and encoura..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/susan-w-tanner-51209_age_sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teac_2752621.jpg"
---

#  Sometimes discipline, which means 'to teach,' is confused…

![“Sometimes discipline, which means 'to teach,' is confused with criticism. Children-as well as people of all ages-improve behavior from love and encouragement more than from fault-finding.” quote by Susan W. Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/susan-w-tanner-51209_age_sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teac_2752621.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/susan-w-tanner-51209_age_sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teac_2752621.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/susan-w-tanner-51209_age_sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teac_2752621.jpg)

> “Sometimes discipline, which means 'to teach,' is confused with criticism. Children-as well as people of all ages-improve behavior from love and encouragement more than from fault-finding.”

[Susan W. Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Discipline should be about teaching, not criticizing; love and encouragement foster better behavior than fault‑finding.

**In simple terms:** Teaching, not criticizing, improves behavior.

Key Takeaway

Use encouragement over criticism.

Themes

education parenting behavior encouragement

Mood

supportive reflective

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- parenting
- school settings
- coaching
- team leadership

Key Concepts

teaching positive reinforcement emotional intelligence

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance guidance with constructive feedback?
- When does criticism become harmful?

A Different Perspective

Criticism can sometimes be necessary for accountability.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Fault finding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fault-finding/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love And Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-encouragement/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [Sometimes discipline, which means "to teach," is confused with criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teach-is-confused-with-criticism/)

[Susan W. Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/)

> [True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/true-doctrine-understood-changes-attitudes-and-behavior-the-study-of/)

[Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/)

> [To help others develop, start with yourself! When the boss acts like a little god and tells everyone else they need to improve, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/to-help-others-develop-start-with-yourself-when-the-boss-acts-like-a/)

[Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/)

> [Women process stress differently. If we can change the workplace culture to make it more welcoming for women, we're also going to improve behavior,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/women-process-stress-differently-if-we-can-change-the-workplace/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [Reading about ethics is about as likely to improve one's behavior as reading about sports is to make one into an athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/reading-about-ethics-is-about-as-likely-to-improve-one-s-behavior-as/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [The clerical work is par for the course. "Keep on file in numerical order" means throw in wastebasket. You'll soon learn the language. "Let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bel-kaufman/the-clerical-work-is-par-for-the-course-keep-on-file-in-numerical/)

[Bel Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bel-kaufman/)

> [What is discipline? Discipline means creating an order within you. As you are, you are a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-discipline-discipline-means-creating-an-order-within-you-as/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The word discipline has disappeared from our minds, our mouths, our pulpits, and our culture. We hardly know what discipline means in modern American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/the-word-discipline-has-disappeared-from-our-minds-our-mouths-our/)

[Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/)

> [Discipline means behaving according to what you have decided is best, regardless of how you feel in the moment. The first trait of discipline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/discipline-means-behaving-according-to-what-you-have-decided-is-best/)

[DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/)

> [“It is our Puritanism, insisting that discipline means repression or punishment, which confuses the subject. To discipline something, in the proper sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/it-is-our-puritanism-insisting-that-discipline-means-repression-or/)

[Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/)

> [Discipline means protection from one's own wanton interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/discipline-means-protection-from-one-s-own-wanton-interest/)

[Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/)

> [Discipline means we don't let go of the things we know we should be doing, we do them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/discipline-means-we-don-t-let-go-of-the-things-we-know-we-should-be/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [What is discipline? Discipline means creating an order within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-discipline-discipline-means-creating-an-order-within-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“True discipline means channeling our best hours into first-order objectives, and that means being a nonconformist in the best sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/true-discipline-means-channeling-our-best-hours-into-first-order/)

[Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/)

> [“I'm buried beneath an avalanche of papers, I don't understand the language of the country, and what do I do about a kid who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bel-kaufman/i-m-buried-beneath-an-avalanche-of-papers-i-don-t-understand-the/)

[Bel Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bel-kaufman/)

## More by Susan W. Tanner

> [Friendship is necessary to our well-being—not just nice but necessary. We all hunger for it; it’s a universal need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/friendship-is-necessary-to-our-well-being-not-just-nice-but-necessary/)

[Susan W. Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/)

> [“Some of us are born into families with very difficult problems. And even good families have many challenges. We must try to do in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/some-of-us-are-born-into-families-with-very-difficult-problems-and/)

[Susan W. Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/)

> [You must do everything you can to make your appearance pleasing, but the minute you walk out the door, forget yourself and start concentrating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/you-must-do-everything-you-can-to-make-your-appearance-pleasing-but/)

[Susan W. Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/)

> [While it may be true in some instances that our promised blessings will be fulfilled only in the eternities, it is also true that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/while-it-may-be-true-in-some-instances-that-our-promised-blessings/)

[Susan W. Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/)

> [We are each in the middle of our own path. We do not know what will be at the end of our story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/we-are-each-in-the-middle-of-our-own-path-we-do-not-know-what-will-be/)

[Susan W. Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/)

> [Sometimes discipline, which means "to teach," is confused with criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teach-is-confused-with-criticism/)

[Susan W. Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/)

[Explore all 7 Susan W. Tanner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/)

## More Age quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/)

[Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/)

> [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/)

[Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

> [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/)

[Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/)

> [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/)

[Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/)

> [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/)

[Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/)

> [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/)

[Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/)

> [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/)

[Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/)

[Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Sometimes discipline, which means 'to teach,' is confused with criticism. Children-as well as people of all ages-improve behavior from love and encouragement more than from fault-finding.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Susan W. Tanner"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teach-is-confused-with-criticism-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Age"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teach-is-confused-with-criticism-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/susan-w-tanner-51209_age_sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teac_2752621.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/susan-w-tanner-51209_age_sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teac_2752621.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/susan-w-tanner-51209_age_sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teac_2752621.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes discipline, which means 'to teach,' is confused with criticism. Children-as well as people of all…” — Susan W. Tanner",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Susan W. Tanner",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-w-tanner/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Sometimes discipline, which means 'to teach,'...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teach-is-confused-with-criticism-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-w-tanner/sometimes-discipline-which-means-to-teach-is-confused-with-criticism-2/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
