Positive parenting principles can vary from one parent to another. The basic idea behind positive parenting is having a friendly conversation with your kids to instill good values right from the beginning. It encourages children to choose the correct path and walk on it throughout their entire life.
Contrary to popular belief, strict parenting styles and a hostile environment can restrict the growth of children. Children who are brought up in such conditions tend to be more aggressive, rude, and depressed.
Positive parenting helps parents to step into the kid’s shoes and empathize with them along the way. As a result, parents can offer additional support and warmth to their children by creating an environment where kids can behave in a fun and cooperative way.
Is positive parenting worth it? Yes, as per studies, children with behavioral issues will ultimately stop behaving harshly. As a parent, you should give up implementing harsh discipline and move towards more friendly parenting techniques.
It’s backed with evidence of classroom teaching. Middle school teachers who replaced rigid discipline policies with friendly, problem-solving, and interactive attitudes started to notice a decline in suspension rates.
Additionally, positive parenting tips helps children to get rid of unnecessary stress and toxic behavior. As a result, it can improve children’s mental and physical health, and children are less likely to suffer from brain-related diseases such as depression and anxiety.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of positive parenting tips:
• Understand your child’s behavioral pattern
At times your kid will behave unjustified, irrational, and crazy- this can drive parents crazy. It’s a bad idea to come up with a conclusion based on external incidents. Perhaps, it’s time to get into your children’s heads.
In these cases, kids try to come up with choices and ideas that match their perceptions of the ever-changing world. Their habits and behavior are a result of legitimate requirements. As a parent, it’s important to identify what are their requirements and how you can address them.
When you see a child misbehave, question yourself: is my child bored, is it the right time to communicate, is my child exhausted, or is feeling threatened. Giving your child space to cry or express their emotions is also important.
To ensure your behavior is supportive, empathic, and constructive, make sure to implement the Golden Rule. Not all demands of your child are worth fulfilling- you should know the right time to put restrictions.
You must have it in you – the courage to say no to your child’s demands politely. Try to be a mentor or a friend who you have always wanted as a kid. Get ready to listen to what your kids say, and remain fair-minded throughout the story.
Come up with a logical conclusion and encourage your children to steer in the right direction. When people deal with others with diplomacy, fitness, and sympathy, it evokes feelings of kindness and friendliness towards others.
It can also ebb away unnecessary stress and help us to overcome negative emotions. The same rule is applicable when you rear kids too.
• Learn to distract your kids
Positive parenting tips for infant, in the case of toddlers and babies, requires you to learn ways to distract your kid. It can prevent your kids from engaging in violent activities. For example, if preschoolers want to play with a knife or any other sharp object, keep it out of reach.
Instead, encourage your kid to play with something else like a doll or puzzle. Similarly, when your toddler is willing to tear up pages from an important book, you can snatch it away and hand out some fun objects to play with.
Distraction can be helpful in the case of old kids as well. For example, when children are yelling during a road trip, it may seem not very pleasant.
Our first and basic instinct is to yell at them and make them stop. Rather, we must try to look at things from their perspective: when children sit inside a car for hours, they can become uncomfortable and restless. Try to strike up a conversation with them and play word games.
• Take a positive approach.
Use your humor and engage in playful activities to distract your kids. When you ask your kids to do something politely and humorously, they are more likely to do it perfectly in the first attempt.
For example, when you find the objects of your kid lying around, such as books, dirty clothes, toys, and so on- you’ll get provoked to scold and irritate them. However, to derive the best results, teach them to arrange them in the proper order.
Play a game where they have to put the dirty laundry in the basket and arrange the books and toys on the shelf.
• Learn to interact in a positive way
Make sure to interact in a positive manner as much as you can- try to prevent yourself from misbehaving or overreacting toward your kid’s behavior. As mentioned above, friendly and positive communications can build a friendly society.
It helps in fostering robust family bonds while motivating children to cooperate and learn quickly. When your kid isn’t behaving positively, you need to behave in a positive way.
Try to make your priorities clear- you can start by ignoring mild misbehaviors and begin by addressing the serious ones. After noticing an improvement in your kid’s attitude, brace yourself and start dealing with other issues.
However, from day one to the final day, try to ensure the interactions between you and your child are pleasant, friendly, and warm. Avoid exaggerating or highlighting your child’s wrongdoing and faults time and again.
• Look for an excuse to replace your no with a ‘yes.’
Saying ‘no’ can trigger emotions of resistance and resentment. Unnecessary criticism and comparing your kids to someone else can give rise to hopelessness and an inferiority complex. As a result, your kids won’t be able to improve or thrive as human beings.
So, when your child is willing to do or buy something unrealistic that doesn’t fit into your budget, don’t argue with them. Instead, try to come up with new and realistic alternatives. For example, if your child is a toddler, you can offer objects that will distract them quickly.
. In the case of a teenager, try to discuss meaningful topics with them. Teenagers are incapable of learning from criticisms- especially if there are no rewarding outcomes.
• Appreciate children for their excellent behavior
Often, parents believe that appreciating or saying thank you to kids can spoil them. However, frequent appreciation and feeling grateful towards your kids’ behavior can encourage them to do even better.
• Teach your kids to manage their emotions
One crucial parenting tip is to teach your kids about ’emotional coaching.’ Learn about your child’s feelings, and discuss tips to help them handle their emotions during challenging situations.
When you offer emotional coaching to your kids- it provides you a chance to respect and understand your child’s feelings. Emotion management is a skill that will help kids to learn self-control and self-regulation.
It’s crucial for parents to learn and implement the above-mentioned parenting tips to raise good human beings. Kids raised in a fun and friendly way are more likely to become good citizens.
