Four-year-olds love rules. Rules offer structure and security. When your child knows what's expected of her, it's easier to navigate daily life. That's why, at 4, your preschooler actually enjoys following the procedures created for her at home and at school.
She relies on rules when she plays, too. You might hear her hatch her own guidelines for games, for example. When you're teaching her board games or card games, it's okay to relax the rules a little. Playing cooperatively, plotting strategy together, or letting her have an extra turn can minimize frustration. When she plays with friends, though, she'll quickly find out that her peers are a lot less lenient. Preschoolers are sticklers for following the letter of the law. They'll quarrel over who broke the rules in a game of duck, duck, goose ("You didn't run the right way!").
This respect for rules helps with discipline. Since your child understands what rules are for, she also understands what can happen if she breaks them. That's the foundation of self-control, which is what discipline is really all about.
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