How to Improve And Become Better Parents.
Parenting comes with many challenges, and I'm yet to meet a parent that has figured it out completely. We desire to do better for our kids while sometimes feeling like a complete mess. We make sacrifices, yet we still feel unsatisfied with our results. I've been spending the past year evaluating myself, my parenting style and the techniques I need to implement to become a better parent. Parenting isn't easy, as every child has different needs and requirements. However, through extensive studying and researching, the focus is to provide the right nurturing and care for your child, but first, it starts with improving yourself—being a better you.
Here are few tips that I've put together from researching that outline "How to Improve and Become Better Parents."
1) Lead By Example.
Our children model our behaviour. They observe the way we act towards them, ourselves and others. When you practice good behaviours in front of your child, they start to recognize the habits and then begin to mirror them in their daily lives. If you speak aggressively to your child or others around them, they will, in return, do the same.
2) Accept That Mistakes Are A Part Of Growing.
Allow your child to explore their needs and wants through having their own experiences; let them feel what it's like to be disappointed and make mistakes. Avoid putting pressure on your child by having too many unattainable expectations. Start by encouraging them to try new things. Build their confidence so when they embark upon challenges or make mistakes, they can bounce back and try again without the fear of failure or disappointment.
3) Communicate With Your Kids.
Communication is usually the key component to maintaining successful relationships. The Communicationtrust.org site speaks of communication in kids being fundamental to their development; that a child needs to be able to understand things around them and be understood. Have honest and open dialogues and build a trusting relationship that will carry your kids throughout life.
4) Avoid Lying To Your Kids.
Lying is making an untruth statement to deceive a person, as defined by Merrimack-Webster Dictionary. Try to avoid lying, misleading or misinforming your child; it can cause psychological damage to a child. Lying destroys relationships and breaks trust in the family system. It could also set the notion that lying is acceptable. Being candid and open with your kids may foster a better parent-child relationship.
5) Spend Quality Time With Your Kids.
A stronger bond can be formed when a family spends time together. When a child lacks family togetherness, it can lead to a child exhibiting negative behaviours by acting out. Research has revealed that when parents spend time with their children, they are less likely to engage in harmful and risky activities. Setting aside time to participate in family fun activities reassures your child that they are loved, accepted, Cared for and a valued member of the family.
6) Praise Your Kids for Good and Positive Behaviours.
It is not easy to ignore a child when they are constantly throwing tantrums or purposely exhibiting behaviours that are unpleasant. However, Try to avoid falling into the trap of correcting everything your child does. It was a difficult adjustment for me not to fix and direct everything my kids did. I could only imagine how annoying it was for them. Now they are free to explore and discover life and themselves. Often kids act out because they receive more attention from their parents when reprimanded for distasteful behaviour than when they exhibit positive behaviours. Let good behaviour and habits shine brighter than the unpleasant behaviours.
7) Do Not Compare your Kids to Their Siblings or Other Kids.
Comparing kids is like second nature to some parents and Is done unexpectedly at times. Commonly, parents compare their kids' development, challenges, and actions to their peers. Comparing kids can cause your child to develop feelings of inferiority, rejection, or not being worthy enough. Some kids may begin to feel like they can't live up to their siblings' standards, creating hatred and rivalry between siblings. The child may also develop a sense of bitterness and anger towards their parents.
8) Don't Be Afraid to Apologize to your Kids.
As defined by Oxford Dictionary, Apologizing is expressing regret for something that you do that was wrong. It's a form of owning up to your wrongdoing. Apologizing to your kids allows them to observe their parents as humans who make mistakes and that mistakes are okay.