Every parent wants the best for their child. From the moment they welcome their little one into this world right into adulthood, parents put in their best efforts to teach their children the best of everything. This includes teaching them the values and beliefs that the parents deem to be important or are taught themselves. All this sacrifice and hard work in raising their kids is to see them grow up to be responsible and outstanding citizens. But as we all know parenting doesn’t come with an instructional manual. Parents have to figure out the best ways of raising their children with their own intuitions and experiences. It’s a learning process for the parents as much as it is for the children.
Once your little one is born, it’s your responsibility to instill values in them that will make them grow into good human beings. You are their role model, and they look up to you. So, how can you achieve this? What are the things you need to keep in mind? Keep reading as we give you a few tips that could help you become the parent you want to be:
1. Parent With Purpose
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Your partner’s goals and yours must be aligned when it comes to parenting. Before your baby is born, sit down with your partner and discuss how you’d like to raise your child. Choose the most important values to both of you and focus on inculcating those values in your child. You could also decide what activities you’d like to expose your child to — musical instruments, dance, art, or sports. This will help you parent with purpose and approach it with an aligned mindset.
2. Adapting To Your Change
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You might have planned every parenting move to the T, but you have to be open to flexibility and change. You can plan how you want to raise your child, what values you want to instill in them, and what opportunities you want your child to explore. But what you cannot plan is who your child is. So, pay attention to your child — their personality, needs, likes, wants, and interests. It will tell you a lot about how you should guide them and help them grow.
3. Say No To Trends
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There are so many parenting techniques that one can follow. Many of them have become trends on social media, and parents are trying to “compete” to prove that a particular parenting style works best. But our advice to you is not to follow any trends. Following the bandwagon is not the best thing because it focuses on the parenting style and not on what your child needs. Instead, pay attention to your child and alter your parenting to suit their needs.
4. Take A Break
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Every parent wants to be a good one. But you must understand that a good parent is not patient all the time. They are not enthusiastic or ever ready to cater to the child all the time. And that’s okay! Parents deserve a break too. So, when you’re feeling overwhelmed with your parenting duties, learn to take a step back. Take some time for yourself, maybe go on a romantic date with your partner. You’ll be energized and ready to be the best parent you can be once again.
5. Love
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This one’s a no-brainer. It’s simple, and it’s what your children should learn too. Always choose the love approach. Your kids will learn to be kind and loving when they grow up, and that’s what the world needs. Sure, every parent probably loves their child wholeheartedly, but you also have to show your kids that you love them. Snuggle as much as you can. Teach them that it’s okay to express themselves, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
6. Don’t Forget About Self Care
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Many parents become so involved with their children that they totally forget about their own dreams, hobbies and passions. Over time this can have a detrimental effect on the person’s psyche and confidence. After all, even though our children require the attention, they never asked us to give up everything in tending to them. When parents take some time out in their busy schedules for their activity of choice be it some sports or craft or artwork, they better rejuvenate themselves. This in fact would help in having a better demeanour in handling the children than being stressed and anxious. There should be no guilt trip about choosing yourself over your children. You need to be happy yourself in order to make your child happy.
7. Practice What You Preach
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Children are good observers. If they see that you are not adhering to the things you have been teaching them, they will come to the conclusion that you’re making them do that just as a punishment or as a chore. Only when you stick to the rule yourself, children stop doubting your intentions and start following those rules. Be it waking up early in the morning or brushing your teeth at night, show them how it’s done, and do it regularly without fail.
8. Get Them To Understand The Rules, Not Follow Them Blindly
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As parents, you will have to set many rules and limitations for your children. This is important because many times children don’t really know right from wrong and might end up doing something embarrassing, or even worse, something dangerous. However, if you set up many rules and expect them to follow all of them, chances are the results wouldn’t be that satisfactory. If your children don’t really understand why the rule has been put in the first place, they will resort to their own ways when you’re not around. Try to make them understand exactly why the rule is there and gradually over time, they themselves will adhere to it even in your absence.
Parenting is not easy. It comes with a learning curve and requires a lot of patience, dedication, and determination. So don’t worry if you haven’t figured it all out immediately. It’ll come with time. Meanwhile, enjoy the process and be someone your kids can look up to. What are your thoughts on this article? Comment below and let us know.
