Quick Tips On How To Be A Good Parent
Being a parent is not easy. No one ever has stated that it was, but once you have the bundle of joy in your home, you’re going to see that it’s a lot harder than anyone can tell you. Because of that, you may need some tips and tricks from time to time. You will find that advice is going to be a good thing to follow, especially when you feel like you’ve tried everything. With that in mind, the following will help you get some quick tips on how to be a good parent, even when you feel like you’ve tried everything. You can always call on Parents for Purpose!
Don’t Be A Friend
One of the worst things that you can do is become a “friend” of your children. When they are growing up and in the home, you have to take charge. They need to know that you’re an adult, and they are a child, and that no matter how close you get, you’re still above them in terms of authority. This is not a bad thing, and it will pay off many times over. A lot of people before you have attempted to be a friend, and it doesn’t work. It may seem to work for a short time, but it will fall short after some time. It is not something that will give you long term success on any level, because children need a parent more than they need a friend. Remember this when you’re tempted to bend the rules and be the “cool” parent.
Let Them Fall
Your children will fall, scrape their knees, and try to be independent at various stages. You have to let them fall and feel the pain of defeat. Do not coddle them, and don’t try to rescue them every single time, because that is not going to teach them to get back up. Falling, failing, and pain are all motivators and instruction manuals to help with getting up and overcoming issues. Let them overcome but guide them at the same time. Just don’t try to jump in and coddle them every time. There’s a fine line here, let them learn, let them fall, and teach them after the fact.
Let Them Choose
As your child grows up, let them choose different aspects of their own personality. That includes clothing, books they like, television shows, and much more. You are there to guide them, but don’t stifle their creativity. Your goal is to guide, not to outright stifle their creativity, and independence. Obviously, there are limits to this freedom, but let them have a little taste of the choices that they are going to have to work through the rest of their lives. That includes cleaning, picking out their own clothing, eating certain things, and much more. Life has a lot of little things, teach them at a young age how to navigate them, and let them have choices over time.
These are just a few quick tips that you can work on to become a better parent. They seem so simple, but in action, they present goals that will pay off down the line. It’s a positive push forward over time.
Don’t Be A Friend
One of the worst things that you can do is become a “friend” of your children. When they are growing up and in the home, you have to take charge. They need to know that you’re an adult, and they are a child, and that no matter how close you get, you’re still above them in terms of authority. This is not a bad thing, and it will pay off many times over. A lot of people before you have attempted to be a friend, and it doesn’t work. It may seem to work for a short time, but it will fall short after some time. It is not something that will give you long term success on any level, because children need a parent more than they need a friend. Remember this when you’re tempted to bend the rules and be the “cool” parent.
Let Them Fall
Your children will fall, scrape their knees, and try to be independent at various stages. You have to let them fall and feel the pain of defeat. Do not coddle them, and don’t try to rescue them every single time, because that is not going to teach them to get back up. Falling, failing, and pain are all motivators and instruction manuals to help with getting up and overcoming issues. Let them overcome but guide them at the same time. Just don’t try to jump in and coddle them every time. There’s a fine line here, let them learn, let them fall, and teach them after the fact.
Let Them Choose
As your child grows up, let them choose different aspects of their own personality. That includes clothing, books they like, television shows, and much more. You are there to guide them, but don’t stifle their creativity. Your goal is to guide, not to outright stifle their creativity, and independence. Obviously, there are limits to this freedom, but let them have a little taste of the choices that they are going to have to work through the rest of their lives. That includes cleaning, picking out their own clothing, eating certain things, and much more. Life has a lot of little things, teach them at a young age how to navigate them, and let them have choices over time.
These are just a few quick tips that you can work on to become a better parent. They seem so simple, but in action, they present goals that will pay off down the line. It’s a positive push forward over time.