Parenting is one of the toughest jobs you will ever have. It is also one of the most rewarding jobs you will ever get to have. There are no instructions to tell us how to take care of our child. Each child is completely different and we all have different parenting styles as well. However, there are some universal tips that can help us on our path to creating a wonderful person in society.
Self-Esteem Boost – Your child will start building their self-esteem as soon as they start to understand the world as babies. Your tone of voice, your actions, and your words will truly impact them as a person. Praise them for accomplishments and try hard to not belittle them. Try not to say things that insult them as a person, because it can stunt their emotional growth and cause them to feel critical of themselves. Always let them know you love them, but may not love their behavior.
Consistent Discipline – As your child grows up, you are hopefully the one thing that remains constant in their everchanging world. As they grow, everything changes and emotions can heighten as they hit their teenage years. Remember that you are your child’s safe place and that you should have a consistent pattern of parenting that they are comfortable with. If they mess up, they should know the consequences and be prepared to deal with them. Letting them off easy, when they should be punished is a way to lessen the respect they have for you and for them to think that they can get away with things in other instances. Being consistent is the best way to teach your children what you expect.
Give Attention – We are in a very busy society that often forgets to sit back and smell the roses. Take an extra ten minutes in the morning to spend with your child. Ask them how their day was after school and give them the attention they deserve and require. If you take shortcuts, they may end up getting your attention in the wrong ways with discipline issues. Remember, it’s the little things your kids will remember, so try your best to show up for them every day.
Communicate – Often parents are dictators when it comes to parenting. You should not say “no” and reason that it is because you said so. Although you are the parent, the reasoning behind the decisions you make should be stated to your child. This will help them understand why they get things sometimes and other times they don’t. Explain your reasons and make the child understand your position to help with the learning process.
Unconditional Love – Even when you are disciplining, make sure you let them know that you love them even though you don’t love what they have done. Make the disciplining process a learning process and let them know that we all make mistakes at times. Let them know that no matter what they do, you will always love them.
