Parenting and Children There are many common things parents and children can learn from each other. A good parent will always give their children the best and any parent will be proud of their kids. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of giving praise, gifts, or positive reinforcement for everything your child does right. What can you do to encourage positive parenting skills in your kids? Following is an outline of some things parents and children can learn from each other.
Be Prepared
Parents and children must both be prepared for every contingency. This includes disagreements between parents and children. Children must understand that parents have different points of view and can often reach different conclusions than what is expected of them. While it may seem like common sense, it is critical to open up and listen to children’s concerns. If you don’t let them voice their concerns, they may think that you are not listening and this could lead to problems down the road.
Listen
Often a good way to help children feel heard is to listen to them. While it is common for parents to hear what their children are saying and consider them to be ‘right,’ listening to children’s concerns can help them see that what they are saying is not always correct. This helps children feel validated while at the same time allowing parents to communicate about what they feel is important. Sometimes parents will express their opinions while children are simply stating what they are feeling. When you pay attention to your children’s reactions, you will begin to notice patterns and understand the underlying causes of their actions.
Know Your Role
Parents must also know how they are supposed to act when dealing with children. For instance, parents must remain consistent with their expectations or children may develop feelings of disappointment. Along with being consistent, it is essential to know the type of behavior that is acceptable or not. It is never beneficial to reprimand a child for not following rules or talking back. Instead, parents should let the child know that they are not doing anything wrong and that they can do anything they like as long as it is not acting out. With consistency and knowing what is expected, parents can better deal with their children’s behavioral issues.
Set an Example
Another reason why it is important to set an example in your home is that children will pick up on what they observe you doing. If you are an attentive parent, your children will become more attentive and responsible. This is beneficial in two ways. First, children will become more secure when their parents are paying attention to them. Children love to be the center of attention. Second, by demonstrating that you are responsible and competent, you instill these traits in your children’s minds.
Do Not Assume
One thing that many parents don’t realize is that children are drawn to confident parents. If you repeatedly express confidence and pride in your abilities, you will find that your child will begin to act the same way. To effectively teach children self-confidence and leadership skills, parents must be leaders themselves. Children look to their parents to act and grow according to their values and ideals. When parents are confident in their capabilities, children also see this and will try to emulate their actions.
Be Consistent
This one may be a bit tricky. When children misbehave or do things that they are not supposed to do, parents often become upset and frustrated with their children. To effectively solve these problems, parents should never assume that their child will correct their behavior on their own. This can only lead to further mistreatment of the child and parents. To resolve this problem, parents should be consistent in applying their rules and policies and should always give their children enough time to do things right.
There are many ways to build strong relationships with our children. The above list is just a few of the ways parents and children can bond. While children learn much from parents, parents must remember to remain civil while children learn what is right and what is wrong. With these tips, parents and children can start building a strong foundation for a lifelong relationship.
