Raising a child is no joke. It requires time, effort, and a lot of understanding and patience. It is the toughest job you could ever experience in your whole life, but when they grow up, it could be the most fulfilling thing you can ever achieve in your whole entire existence.
Whether you are a new parent or not, if you need guidance and tips on how to raise a child, here are five steps to responsible and effective parenting.
Boost your child's self-esteem and confidence
As early as they are babies, your child can have a sense of self and it develops through time as they grow older. A parent's tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions and gestures can be noticed by your children and will surely remember each and one of them. Each of your words and actions will affect your child and it is a big factor in their development in terms of self-esteem and confidence in themselves. You can always give small compliments such as "you look good today," or even praise them whenever they achieve an accomplishment by saying "good job, kiddo! I am so proud of you!" Each compliment that you will give your child will matter to them and will take pride in it.
However, you need to avoid giving heavy statements such as "that was such a dumb thing to do!" or "stop acting like a baby," to them. This will not also put them down but will also lead to a severe situation. Always be mindful of your words because children tend to be more sensitive than you think.
Be consistent with your rules and limitations
As parents, you set the rules in the house. Rules and limitations are necessary for one household, and it also requires discipline to pull off such rules. The role models should be the parents and they should first follow the rules for their children to follow. The goal of discipline is to help children control their behavior and manage their self-control. Establishing a good set of house rules will also keep your kids grounded and be aware of what is right and what is not. You can also set consequences whenever they go out of line and set limitations in everything that they do, but remember, do not be too hard on them as well.
Always be a good role model
Most of a child's behavior and the way they act towards other people are from what they see from their parents. This is why parents should be really aware of all their doings and be mindful of their words and actions. Before you blow off and rant about something, rethink it. Calm yourself down and think of the best words you can say before doing anything. It is also important to instill friendly attitudes towards your children. Teach them how to respect, be responsible, be honest, kind, and tolerable at all costs. Teach them how to be grateful and thankful for the life they have. Treat your children the way you want them to treat you and others.
Your parenting style should be adjustable and flexible
There might be times that your children will grow up and they won't be as open as they were before when they were younger. With this, you need to be more understanding about it and you should be willing to adjust your parenting style according to your child's age. If they are going through their teen years, still show care towards them without being too annoying. Teens have the tendency to look up unto their peers instead of their parents, so make sure you still guide them and encourage them in everything that they do.
Know your limitations as a parent
There is no perfect parent nor a perfect parenting style. We all make mistakes, even parents who have raised us and shaped us into who we are today. Identify your strengths and weaknesses as a parent and work from there. After that, set limitations for yourself. Focus on areas that you need to improve more to be a good role model for your children. If you feel stressed, always remember to take time and cool down before deciding or doing something.
