the natural-to-logical consequences continuum

Can we talk a little more about this?

some good points were touched on in this thread:

http://www.gentlechristianmothers.co...topic=117853.0

like the difference between cause-and-effect and logical consequences, which I think assume the child will internalize a lesson and be able to predict events and apply the less to a future situation. but I sort of need to think through it in a bit more detail.

I sometimes get the impression from our discussions that logical consequences are "off limits" until that magical age/stage where you see your child using logic (or when he's "old enough") and then suddenly they're fine. Maybe that IS what's being said... or maybe there's more of a gradual transition that just not fleshed out each time we talk about it. Prior to the age of logic, everything is supposed to be varying degrees of natural consequences--which by definition must happen without any implementation from the parent.

Can we clarify the continuum... the process.... a little more? How, exactly, do you distinguish between cause-and-effect and an imposed consequence? The line seems a little blurry to me at the moment. Can you flesh out the "ramp up" to using logical consequences, for those of us who have trouble picturing it? (or is it really just a point-in-time thing when you can start using them)

Joanne mentioned once (a while back) that her children go through a progression with experiencing logical consequences... I wish I could remember her exact quote, but I understood it as: none in infancy--> a hint in the preschool years --> light use in pre-logic age --> full understanding when the age of logic sets in.