The Joy of parenting
Parenting is hard. Period. There is no easy road. No easy solutions. No one perfect way to parent. Yet, it seems everywhere you turn there is another “expert” telling you what you should and should not do with your children and they ALWAYS conflict. So who are you supposed to turn to when you need to not feel so alone?
Much of this confusion is a result of the rapid changes our society as a whole has been going through. We’ve discarded a lot of old notions about what the roles for men and women should be; basically we have embarked upon an age of experimentation. We’re working mostly with both helpful and not-so-helpful input from other parents and teachers who are in the same boat as we are.
I am a parent of two and a preschool teacher and with all my experience will try to give you parents some tips which worked for me.
It Worked For Me: Parent Hacks
Be the role model your children deserve. Kids learn by watching their parents. Modelling appropriate, respectful, good behavior works much better than telling them what to do.
Fess up when you blow it. This is the best way to show your child how and when she should apologize.
Live a little greener. Show your kids how easy it is to care for the environment. Waste less, recycle, reuse, and conserve each day. Spend an afternoon picking up trash around the neighbourhood.
Always tell the truth. It’s how you want your child to behave, right?
Show love in all relationships. Your marriage is the only example your child has of what an intimate relationship looks, feels, and sounds like. So it’s your job to set a great standard.
Respect parenting differences. Support your spouse’s basic approach to raising kids — unless it’s way out of line. Criticizing or arguing with your partner will do more harm to your marriage and your child’s sense of security than if you accept standards that are different from your own.
Cheer the good stuff. When you notice your child doing something helpful or nice, let him know how you feel. It’s a great way to reinforce good behaviour so he’s more likely to keep doing it.
Read books together every day. Get started when he’s a newborn; babies love listening to the sound of their parents’ voices. Cuddling up with your child and a book is a great bonding experience that will set him up for a lifetime of reading.
Don’t raise a spoiled kid. Keep this thought in mind: Every child is a treasure, but no child is the centre of the universe. Teach him accordingly.
Avoid food fights. A healthy child instinctively knows how much to eat. If he refuses to finish whatever food is on his plate, just let it go. He won’t starve.
“The sign of great parenting is not the child’s behaviour
The sign of truly great parenting is the parent’s behaviour.”
-Andy Smithson
“ Happy Parenting”