Every parent wants to be successful in business and also successful at raising happy and wonderful children. But parenting advice is so varied between experts and it can be hard to know who to listen to and which advisors know what they are talking about. Here are some tried and true tips to help ensure you are raising great kids.
Happiness Within
Emotional problems in parents tend to rub off on their children. Unhappy people are also less effective at their job and parenting role. Work on being a happier person after all and that happiness will shine through to your children
Celebrate
Make sure to celebrate the small things and the big things too. Give credit for a great grade on a test or a great game at the ballpark. Celebrate simply and show your children that you care about the little victories as well as the big ones.
Prioritize your Marriage
Make sure to give your children a wonderful life, but not everything in life. When we center the family around children, we end up with exhausted parents and entitled children. You must work hard and make sure you provide for your children. Make sure to save sometime for your spouse and do things together without children.
Attention
When you speak with your children, make sure to give them your undivided attention. Ask them about their day and put everything else aside. Give comments and thoughts to the stories they tell and make sure they feel valued.
Regular Meals
Make sure to have regular meals together and create a sense of family. Turn off the television and all other distractions and spend some time talking about your day and the weekend to come.
Manage Emotions
Make sure to help your children learn how to manage their emotions. Empathize with your children and explain to them that the emotions they are feeling are valid, but that some behaviors are not. Tell them when you see progress in their emotion management.
Build Relationships
Encourage your children to have and build strong relationships. Ensure that you help your children understand sharing and resolving conflicts and create an environment where they can come to you with help and answers.
Set Boundaries
Make sure that your children know the rules and that you will enforce them. Rules and boundaries help to create children with confidence and security. Explain the logic behind the rules, so that your children understand why you require certain things.
Focus on the Process
Many parents focus on the end result and that can cause psychological problems for their children that fall short of their expectations. The best thing a parent can do is focus on the process and show them that attitude and effort are the most important aspects of success.
Serving
Teach your children how to serve and give back to the community by volunteering, being generous and even recycling. Show them that giving back to others is rewarding and can bring plenty of happiness.
