Parenting and Family Education

Archive for the ‘parenting styles’ Category

As good mothers and fathers, we all differ in many ways. We all have various interests, strengths and values which make us good parents. Advice from other parents should be taken with “a pinch of salt”, as they may not live up to your expectations; don’t be disappointed or discouraged if others try to put you right. You may not be one for getting down to child’s level by rolling around on the floor with your child; you prefer to let your child explore and find things out on their own, and that’s your prerogative. Whatever suits you and your child is a good enough method, and no one should be able to tell you otherwise! Recognise your own personal parenting style and embrace it, as it is your business how you go about things as a parent; it’s your expectations that matter to help you enjoy parenting.

Keep in mind that others may give you advice and mean well, but at the end of the day, you know your child better. You see how your child is day and night, as he eats, sleeps, grow, explores, learns and plays. You will soon know what works best for your child, the lifestyle that you have and what is better all round for your household. It all involves trial and error, just like anything else in life that is new.

People will always offer the advice on what you should do, especially regarding your child’s napping and their sleeping habits at bedtime, so remember that yours and your child’s personal style matters the most. You have already covered what works best for you and your child, and what doesn’t so you should continue with that pattern. Sleep habits vary from one child to another, so there are no rules to follow except, knowing that your child needs their sleep! Your child’s sleeping pattern will change as he gets older, so you can adapt to suit him. By keeping in tune with your child, their sleeping habits shouldn’t become a problem, or for you!

One of the most crucial aspects of sound parenting is how consistent you are when dealing with your children. They will get mixed signals if you tell them one thing but forget to reinforce what it is you have asked they do. They will also get mixed signals if you say one thing and do another.

You must lead by example. You cannot tell your children not to drink out the milk carton and then do the same thing yourself! Nor can you tell them to tidy up their clothes when your own bedroom floor is littered with clothes strewn everywhere.

Parenting is more than saying what the right thing is.  Parenting is actively demonstrating the right thing. Do your best to do the same things you would like to instil in your children. However you want your children to be you have to be this yourself.

Yes it is easier asking your kids to eat slowly. But if your children see you wolfing down your food they will not bother to eat slowly. You are the authority figure and it is confusing for your children to be told one thing and see you doing the opposite.

You will find you will not have to say much at all to your children, as they will just imitate you. This will happen unconsciously without you having to nag them. Have you ever met a parent who had bad language? Have you ever met their children? It is sad in this case as the children often have the same manner of talking as their parents.

If you are unhappy with how your children are behaving it is best to take a close look at your own behaviour. Are you guilty of doing the very thing you are condemning in your children? If so it’s best to be honest with them and admit you are trying your best to change your behaviour. Ask them for help.

Children are much smarter than we give them credit for. They can spot inconsistency a mile off. They are also able to pick up when you are at a weak point (when your guard is down) and take advantage of you.

In a nutshell sound parenting is based on “walking your talk”. This is much harder to put into practice than it sounds. But the bottom line is, you are responsible for your own children. And you can do so much to influence their behaviour by your own example.

It is believed that children develop into who they (ultimately) are based on the confidence their parents have as parents. In other words, if mom and dad are not comfortable being parents, or if they do not exude very much self-confidence in this role, their children are likely to pick up on these feelings. This can contribute to the overall sense of insecurity or lack of self-esteem that children may feel as they grow older.

Children’s personalities are shaped by their familial interactions. Though many parents do not realize it, the way that they act towards each other, and the way they value and respect each other, are vitally important components toward determining a child’s own sense of self-worth.

In order to foster a healthy environment for children that is conducive to their development into well-adjusted adults, it is important that parents create a sort of partnership in terms of their parenting goals. Regardless of whether children are interacting with one parent at a time or both parents at once, it is critical that children have a similar type of experience with each parent.

This does not necessarily mean that mom and dad have to have exactly the same parenting styles, but it does mean that the two different styles need to mesh together so that cohesive, unified parenting can occur. Another way to think about it is that when parents are at odds with one another regarding parenting styles and methods, children are far more likely to play one parent against the other; a situation that merely adds frustration on top of an already tense one.

The various roles that each parent plays, as well as the rules they impose on their children, should be relatively equal so that children do not receive mixed or confusing signals from either parent. If mom and dad do not happen to agree on a particular parenting point, they should take the time to sit down and discuss their differences, which will hopefully allow them to reach a mutual point of compromise that will enable them to co-parent in an equal fashion.

Even divorced parents can act together to ensure that they are parenting their children in a way that is cohesive and promotes family unity. This, of course, is generally not quite as easy as it sounds for people who are divorced, but it is not an impossible task. If mom and dad find that they are having particular difficulty in trying to agree on parenting roles and styles, it would be in their children’s best interests for them to seek the assistance of a family counselor.

Family counseling can provide frustrated parents with some inventive ways to be able to work together, even if they do not live together anymore and do not still have any type of relationship with one another. The most important thing to remember when working on complementary parenting styles is that open, positive communication is the key to ensuring that the children do not suffer as a result of a failed marriage.

Family counseling is also quite helpful for parents who are still married and functioning relatively well as a family unit. Even if mom and dad only have minor disagreements about parenting, it is best to go ahead and talk them out before they escalate into major conflicts.