You wouldn't give someone the death penalty for running a red light, and the same rule of thumb should apply to your children's wrongdoings. At the end of the day, you want to make sure the crime fits the punishment. {relatedarticles}For example, you don't want to ground your 5-year-old child to his room for a week for hitting a sibling. You need to find a proper way of penalizing the child. Everybody handles things differently. But the American Academy of Family Physicians suggests using the following techniques to teach your child right from wrong. Use positive reinforcement and reward good behavior. Stickers, charts and a reward system are a great way to ensure your children behave appropriately. For younger children, rely on redirecting to distract them for something.