Natural consequences refer to pain or discomfort that is brought on by failing to take proper or advisable actions. For instance, a parent tells her kids to take their raincoats or umbrellas to school on a day when rain is predicted. They don’t bother to do this and end up walking home in the rain and becoming cold and wet. Thus, the “natural consequences” of not using a raincoat or umbrella kicks in. This method can be quite useful in child-rearing in teaching children to think ahead and make good choices.