People can have different ideas about discipline and what it means, but the general approach to discipline in the USA is to teach towards a desired behavior. Disciplining a child is not the same as punishing a child. Punishment is a punitive form of discipline. It is done to the child, with the goal to gain control over the child; discipline is done with the child and the goal is to guide a child toward self-control. A child can take an active role in that process.