10 BEST PARENTING TIPS EVERY PARENT MUST KNOW
Being a parent is not always an easy job, it is the most fulfilling but it also comes with its own challenges, they isn’t a manual or a handbook on how to raise a child or be a great parent, there is no fail safe workbook that guides you through this task but knowing a few tips and hacks that other parents have used often goes a long way to help you become a better parent which is why I have put together a list of 10 best tips you should know as a parent, read on to find out what these tips are.
The primary goal of a parent is to protect your children, making them feel safe and loved, every other thing comes secondary to this, your focus should be on loving your child and often times than not things usually fall in place with just love.
Be Firm: When setting rules in your home with your children make sure you are firm about it, clearly state consequences and make sure to follow through, failure in being a firm parent often leads to being taken advantage of and easily overlooked, because little by little your words begin to lose power in your home.
Be Rewarding: This is one parenting tip I wish I had learnt earlier before I had kids, it is seriously very effective, kids often like to be rewarded when they behave excellently so learning so give rewards for the little things will motivate and encourage them to be better knowing that you appreciate every bit of them and you are even willing to throw in a special.
Be Friendly: A lot of parents have argued this with me certain times, I have had parents tell me it’s impossible to be your child’s friend that you either get to chose one, to be their parent or their friend but the sincere truth is this, you can be both! You just need to find balance between both, be friendly when correcting your kids, make them realize that you can be their friend and also their parent, remind them of how lucky they are to get to have two in one, your kids will find it easier to communicate with you when you are a more friendly parent and less bossy.
Engage Your Children: Set time aside to spend time with your kids, talk to them, engage them, join them in activities, making DIY crafts are great and help you achieve this aim.
Encourage The Act Of Self Expression: You want your child to be able to express themselves properly, teach them how to say they are angry when they are and how to say it hurts when it does, make sure you are not skipping this because this will only make them better people for you in the future, this also increases communication skills in a positive way.
Stay In Touch With The Child In You: Try to see situations from the way your child sees it and to be able to do this efficiently you have to stay in touch with the child in you, doing this would help you understand them more.
Be Alert: Stay alert and on the watch for changes in attitudes and behavior as it always means something is going well or something is going wrong and deal with it.
Listen: Be a great listener to your kids, always make use of eye contact, refrain from interrupting them while they are speaking, try to repeat back what they have said to make sure you are following and reassure them that you are actually listening and that you hear them.
Provide The Option To Chose: When assigning tasks try to give them the option of making a choice when to get it done, don’t always try to impose yourself and wants on them, remember your kids are human beings too and have felt just like you do.
Create A Non Verbal Means Of Communication: I have seen this work so well with so many parents, I have a friend who every time her child would act inappropriately in public would get her to be calm and behave properly with just a look, I always wondered how she did it but eventually she told me it was a means of communication between both of them, she didn’t have to be verbal in certain cases she would just look at her in a certain manner and her child would understand, and no one gets upset, this is really a win win!
What are the tips that have worked for you as a Parent?
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
