Every parent hopes that their parenting experience will always be positive and rewarding. Every parent, however, also faces some challenging times when their experience might feel a little negative. In those times, it is most important to rely on advice from the experts. In this article we will discuss some of that advice, and provide you with some valuable parenting tips.
Don’t come up with a “one size fits all” idea of discipline. When disciplining your children, realize that they all respond differently to correction. While a time-out might be what one child needs in order to comply, that same method might not work for another. Find what each child responds best to: time-outs, confiscating toys, or extra chores, and then run with that.
Limit the amount of television your child watches each day. Too much television is bad for your child, mentally and physically. It is one cause of childhood obesity, can lead to poor eyesight, and contributes to feelings of anxiety. Have your child play with toys or go outside instead.
Parents who have a teenager that is beginning the college selection process need to make sure that they do not try to influence their child to go to the same university that they did. Teenagers don’t like to feel like they are controlled by you, and may often do completely the opposite.
Children often unconsciously reflect the image that parents project upon them, so make sure that whatever label you choose to apply to your child, it is a positive one. Instead of responding to a complaint of boredom with, “You’re driving me crazy, find something to keep yourself busy”, opt for a more encouraging directive: “You’ve always been such a great artists. Why don’t you try coloring or drawing for a few minutes?”
A great parenting tip is to make your child earn the money you give them. A simple way of doing this is to offer them an allowance if they do some work around the house. This will teach them some work ethic and also the value of working for their money.
A great parenting tip is to make sure your child goes to bed and wakes up on time. Making sure they go to bed and wake up on time is very important because it determines how successful they’ll be in school and in their other activities. This is an important tip that all parents should consider.
When dealing with other parents, don’t assume that all households raise their children in the same manner. Home life can change from family to family and the expectation of one nuclear unit isn’t always the right path. Many divergent lifestyles exist out there, whether due to religion, personal moral beliefs, or traditional methods of raising their children.
A great tip to help you become a better parent is to pack a healthy lunch for your child to bring to school. Don’t just send your kid off with a bag of potato chips. Make them a healthy sandwich and give them some carrots or other vegetables to snack on.
Make sure that you are consistent with the rules and expectations that you set for your children. If you are not consistent, your child will not know what he is supposed to do. He will try to see what he can get away with because he realizes that you are unpredictable. If it is necessary to change one of your rules, make sure your child knows about it in advance.
When your child throws a fit or goes into a temper tantrum, he or she may be overstimulated. Isolate the child from any exciting stimuli, in order to help him or her to calm down faster. A child-sized tent may be the best place to calm a truculent child. For a faster, cheaper alternative, you can put a blanket over a small table to create an isolated, calming cavern for your child.
While every parent knows that they are setting examples for their children, some parents forget that this process goes on all the time. A parent should never make a promise without fulfilling it. Kids are extremely sensitive to what their parents say; they always pay attention. Good parents keep this in mind and never make promises without intending to keep them.
No matter how busy you are, make the time early on to be directly involved in your child’s education. In the short term, this will help socialize them and improve their confidence. In the long term, it will improve their school performance. Science, math and reading are equally important, so don’t weigh one more heavily than another.
Parenting is usually very positive and rewarding, but sometimes negative moments can pop up. Those moments make a parent feel frustrated, confused, and like they’ve lost their way. At those times, turning to the advice of experts can help. In this article we have discussed some expert advice, and some valuable tips, that can make the rough patches easier. Turn to these tips whenever you’re facing a little struggle.