Raising children is not an exact science because every child has their own unique needs, temperament, and passions. Many parents are often faced with questions and issues they don’t know how to deal with, so they turn to family, friends or blogs for information about what to do when they encounter such a problem.
If only there was a guide that could provide us with the answers when we needed them, it would be so much easier for us, but since we know that every child is unique and doesn’t fit the same mold, it’s impossible to create such a perfect manual. Until they do come up with the ultimate parent’s handbook, you can make use of the following 9 tips which will give you a little insight into what can be done in cases that occur on a daily basis for almost every family around the world.
Older people can analyze instructions and understand the logic behind them in a fraction of a second, so they tend not to argue with them. In children, on the other hand, the ability to draw conclusions or understand the consequences of their actions sometimes requires a long and exhausting explanation, so the instructions must be clear, concise and positive, not negative.
For example: If your child walks onto the street don’t tell them “don’t walk on the street,” rather say, “walk on the sidewalk because it is much safer." When we describe only negative behavior like "don’t run," we still leave them with many other options, such as skipping or jumping, therefore, its best to tell them "walk slowly, please," because then they have no other way of understanding what you mean.
There are parents who underestimate their children's ability to perform different types of tasks and thereby undermine their desire to invest in and achieve their goals in many areas. If we only know how to appreciate them and show them that we expect them to give things their all, but not by force or coercion, it will make them want to invest more and even to succeed. Help them improve their strengths far more than their weaknesses – doing so will lead to them specializing in a specific field and becoming successful in it.
Read them higher-level stories from a young age, even if you think they are too young to understand, you’ll be surprised to discover how it helps to develop their thinking later on. Finally, be authoritative but not too strict or rigorous - for example: play classical music but don’t expect them to love this type of music and don’t push them to learn to play a particular instrument if they don’t want to.
A good word is an appreciation for something good you have done, and nothing contributes to self-confidence more than praise for good behavior. We should know that in children the desire for appreciation is even greater than that of adults, so it is very important to praise them when possible. For example, if you are having a party and there is a group of children, some of whom are participating in the activities and some who are doing what they please, praise the children who are participating. The reason is simple - children imitate others in behavior to get the same praise.
We all know that kids and veggies don’t get along. You probably remember the times you tried, asked, or even demanded your children eat some vegetables, but without success until you decided to give up. If you still want to try to feed your children vegetables without all the strain using the following tip: give them delicious foods that don’t look like fruits and veg, such as, mashed potatoes and shakes.
Children are curious by nature, and on almost any subject they will have at least one question if not more. Our role as parents is to provide answers to the things that intrigue them, but of course, these answers need to match the child’s age and cognitive level. Parents are all familiar with the "why" and "what is this" stage, and most just answer these short questions with short answers.
As the child grows, the questions become more complex and we don’t always have an answer to each question, so know that it isn’t shameful to tell a child that you don’t know the answer and you can always offer to research it together, whether on Google, Wikipedia or any other site that can provide you with a good answer.
Although competition is often unhealthy, creating friction and disagreements, there are situations in which good things can arise as a result of rivalry, such as competition between different companies that produce the same product which consequently brings down prices. If you’re asking how you can take advantage of competitiveness, in a positive way, the answer is simple and easy.
Create healthy competition between siblings that will be expressed in manners or in order and organization. For example, tell the child whose room is always messy. "Clean up your room so that it’s clean like your brother’s." But don’t belittle a child by saying something like “stop being lazy and go clean your room so that it looks like your brother’s. "
Every person makes mistakes - but the trick is to learn from them because a person who is afraid of mistakes learns nothing. So if your child wants to do something new, encourage them to try, provided that it is not something that is life-threatening or criminal, otherwise, they’ll have the “what if” feeling, but if they tried and didn’t succeed, don’t judge or criticize them, since most children are afraid to fail for fear of disappointing or angering their parents.
Do your job and urge your children to try again if possible or try to make them feel better. Good support at such a time builds confidence and improves their abilities in the future while strengthening the bond between the both of you.
Idleness and boredom can cause children to do dangerous things, and if they want to "put an end” to this urge, parents must provide their child with new stimuli and challenges. Set small goals according to their age, and each time one goal is achieved add another in its place.
“No pain no gain” is one of the most important phrases to teach kids - start with small things like riding a bike with training wheels, then take off the training wheels, or start building easy puzzles and moving to more complex ones and the like. Increasing responsibility for your children only makes their sense of trust in you grow stronger.
If you ask a young child what they want to be when they grow up, their answer will probably be: "like dad/mom." Parents are heroes in their kid’s eyes, at least until they hit puberty because parents are the characters in the story of their lives who are always there to rescue and protect them. Therefore it is important to teach our children everything we know, it is clear to everyone that knowledge is power, so use it to teach them how to think, act and speak, and be role models for them.
Your kids always have their eyes on you, whether or not you’re aware, therefore, it's important not to show them that you are worried, convey success and strength even if it's little hard - this will only help your children succeed in life and increase their desire to do the same thing in the future.
