Effective Parenting Tips

Bringing up kids can be a tricky affair for many parents and sometimes it helps to seek some professional help so that you are able to be a good parent. Remember that your approach to parenting can determine the type of people you bring up your children to be. For instance, an abusive parent is likely to bring up kids who are violent and care very little about other people's feelings. The secret is to make sure that you are to your children what you wish for them to be and you will be successful in parenting.

1. Reinforce good behavior. This is something that can easily be done by applauding your children for something positive they have done or for a positive effort. When you appreciate them, they will want to continue doing the positives to make you happy and to feel proud as well.

2. Ignore tantrums. Children can be very intelligent, especially after you have punished them for something or you have said no to something. They will deliberately make an effort to elicit a reaction from, you probably by doing something bad bound to irritate you. When you realize that this is what they are trying to do, ignore them. By ignoring tantrums, you get to teach children that to get what they want they must use the appropriate voice and manner. Never give in to such bursts because they will be repeated over and over.

3. Be consistent. If today you tell your kids it is wrong to do something, don't let them do it next time as though it was okay. When you say they are grounded for a week, let it be a week. If you say they cannot do something by a certain time, then let it be so. Consistency is very important because it teaches children right from wrong and they become very careful with what they do so they do not end up getting punished in a way that is not favorable to them.

4. Make your expectations specific and clear. This simply means letting the children clearly know what is expected from them. For example, instead of telling your children to get ready for bed, make it clear by asking them to brush their teeth, wash up their faces and get into their pajamas. It is a very simple way of ensuring that things get done and nothing is deliberately overlooked.

5. Express your unconditional love. Even when you punish or discipline your children, make sure you do so with love so they know that you are only doing it because you want the best for them. Show love by encouraging them in what they do and through their fears and will play a positive role in boosting their self-esteem. Children believe in themselves more when they are sure of your love and know that they can always count on you to be there. Avoid blaming and criticizing them because it can negatively affect their mental attitude. You should also ensure that you remain approachable so that children can approach you with any problems or issues they might have.

There are so many effective parenting tips you can borrow so that you are able to nurture your kids into better people. Understanding the mind of a child is probably the first step to being a better parent.

Source : articlesbase.com