With the desire to accompany parents on their journey of raising children with empathy and love, The Dewey Schools organized the talk show “Discipline Without Tears” — a warm yet insightful conversation featuring Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Van Hao, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Psychology – Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Ms. Pham Thi Thuy Ninh – a Dewey parent and participant of the Positive Parenting course; and Ms. Nguyen Thu Hang – a Dewey teacher with years of experience practicing Positive Discipline in the classroom.
The talk show opened with a clip from the VTV7 program “Changing Parents,” which posed a reflective question for all parents: Are our harsh words unintentionally hurting our children? In response, Ms. Pham Thi Thuy Ninh openly shared her own story: “Like many other parents, I used to yell at my son Tri Dung quite often. But one day, I saw him yelling at his younger cousins in exactly the same way, and I realized I had been wrong. That was the moment I knew I had to change.”
With over 30 years of experience, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Van Hao emphasized that “discipline” means coaching, not punishing. Positive Discipline is a two-way interaction: parents teach their children, and in turn, children also teach their parents. “When we ask our children to respect us, we must also respect them. Ask for their opinions; offer them choices. A child needs to understand why they can’t do something, rather than simply being told to follow every instruction. Parents must be patient and take the time to explain. Don’t feel annoyed when your child asks questions — this is how they build independent thinking, which lays the foundation for future learning and discovery.”
More than just theory, the talk show gave parents the opportunity to practice Positive Discipline through familiar everyday situations — such as when a child throws a tantrum, refuses to study, talks back, or doesn’t cooperate. Under the guidance of Dr. Hao, groups of parents worked together to find gentle yet effective approaches.
Ms. Pham Thi Thu Hien, a parent attending the talk show, shared: “Today’s session truly resolved many of my uncertainties. One thing that really resonated with me was something Dr. Hao said: ‘Don’t assume you’re always right. Sometimes a child’s reaction is their way of teaching us — helping us to understand them better.’”
From the school’s perspective, Ms. Nguyen Thu Hang also shared her experience applying Positive Discipline in the classroom at The Dewey Schools. Each teacher understands their students’ personalities and strengths. When a student behaves inappropriately, instead of imposing punishment, the teacher engages the student in a conversation to uncover the reason, helping them reflect on the consequences and suggest their own solution. Even small changes — like saying sorry or helping a friend — are recognized and encouraged, fostering a sense of responsibility and motivation in students.
Positive Discipline is not a quick fix but a long-term journey that requires partnership between families and schools. When children are heard, respected, and loved, each one can become the best version of themselves.
