Being a parent is a fulfilling endeavor, filled with many beautiful moments. However, it’s also a challenging responsibility that can give rise to feelings of frustration. Parenting has also become trickier to navigate in the modern world, with technology both proving to be a boon and bane when it comes to raising children.
However, there’s no reason for fear and pressure. Parenting is tough but it’s not impossible. Moreover, moms and dads aren’t alone in this endeavor. There’s a lot of help to be found, from fellow parents to health professionals and parenting experts. Also listed below are some tips that could hopefully give you more helpful insights:
Avoid “Helicopter Parenting”
As a parent, you don’t want any harm or danger to come to your kids. There’s certainly nothing wrong with this. The problem comes when you start overseeing every aspect of your children’s lives to the point of coddling them. This is what’s called helicopter parenting.
Do note that it’s perfectly fine to supervise your children, particularly when they’re still of a certain age. However, paying extremely close attention to their activities and doing everything for them can cause problems. After all, young children and even teenagers need to experience independence and learn from their mistakes in order to develop into well-rounded adults.
Examples of helicopter parenting can be seen often in school (e.g., parents answering learning modules on behalf of their children). Nevertheless, it can also manifest in other aspects of a child’s life such as in making friends.
The key is to strike a balance. For example, if your teenager is staying overnight at a friend’s place, you can buy load online and remind them to keep in touch. However, don’t bug them hour after hour about what they’re doing. This way, you establish ground rules and at the same time show confidence that your child will follow them. It can be hard not to worry, but giving them a little leeway will be good for everyone.
Communicate
If you’re finding it hard to make your children do what you tell them to do, perhaps it’s time to evaluate how you communicate. The “because I said so” approach is counterproductive. Children need to know the “why” of things. Do you want them to put their toys back in their proper place? Tell them the importance of cleaning up and taking care of things. This will help them understand the basis of the things you’re asking them to do.
You should also take the time to listen to your child, giving their thoughts and opinions value. When they feel that they aren’t judged, they will be more open to sharing their ideas instead of repressing them. What’s more, kids who are involved in the decision-making process are more likely to hold up their end of an agreement.
Be Consistent With Discipline
Establishing house rules is important because it sets expectations and teaches your children how to respect authority and develop self-control. However, house rules would mean nothing if you don’t follow through with the consequences. Consistency is the key here; your children might test your patience but don’t give in. Setting limits early on and being consistent with implementation can teach your children how to be responsible for their actions.
Be Flexible
Being flexible might seem counterintuitive, since the previous point emphasized consistency. Still, there is such a thing as setting unrealistic expectations. What’s more, being consistent with discipline doesn’t mean you can’t change the way you approach it. Be open to possibilities and look at a situation from a different perspective. This is especially true as your child grows up and learns more from their teachers, classmates, friends, and environment.
Besides, allowing yourself to be a flexible parent shows your children that it’s okay to make mistakes and that you can change your mind. It shows that you can make better decisions by gathering new information.
Don’t Be Afraid to Show Affection
Younger children are generally more receptive to gestures of affection like hugs and kisses. As they grow older, they might be a little more reluctant (especially when they don’t want to be seen as “babies” anymore). Still, don’t be afraid to show your affection in other ways. Listen to their stories, encourage their interests, and spend quality time with them. Give them the freedom to make their own choices, but offer your guidance.
It’s also important to let your children know that your love is unconditional. Be encouraging, rather than fault-finding. Let them know that even though they make mistakes, you’re there to support and love them.
Last but certainly not least, modern parenting means recognizing your weaknesses. Be forgiving of yourself and understand that there really is no such thing as a perfect parent. Admit your mistakes, work on improving them, and admit when you need to take a break. Parenting takes a lot of work and you need to rest to be able to do it well.
Thanks for stopping by ladies, and till next post!