The question may arise, what is the main responsibility of a parent. Answer to this question is simple; prepare your children to survive in society independently as adults. The answer seems simple, but practically it is very tough and requires a lot of effort. If there was a course about being a successful parent, people who already had children or going to be parents would love to take it. No matter how many books or articles you read on how to be a parent, in the end, it still is incomplete knowledge. Nothing can fully prepare you until you are a parent and learn it yourself.
Parents try their best to be a perfect parent, but it is not easy and is very hectic. When you are under stress, its signs will be visible in your baby. He may become moody, clingy or irritable. You will also notice changes in their sleeping and eating behaviors. But children can overcome past experiences, and there is always a possibility of being a good parent.
Principles of parenting
To be a better parent, you can consider these two principles that will make your children a better adult
Teach Them To Be Responsible
Children these days seem uninterested in something that is not fun to them. But life is not all about fun and entertainment. O you have to teach them to be responsible. There are a lot of tasks that are not fun, but you may have to do. Tell them about cooking, paying bills and other routine tasks that are needed to be done but are not fun. Tell them what is the value of a particular chore, why they should do that and what will be the consequences if they won’t. Plan different activities with your children so that they can understand the importance of responsibility.
Teach Them Accountability
Sometimes it is difficult to be responsible for our actions even as an adult. We blame others for our bad decisions. Taking responsibility for our actions is almost impossible without accountability. Tell them that there are consequences of everything they do and the choice they make. To teach them accountability, give them rewards for good behaviour and tell them about the negative consequences of their wrong behaviour.
Some Guidelines For Being A Parent
Keep in mind that children learn from what they see. So things or habits you want them to adapt should be a part of your life. When they will see you doing something, they will also do that. If you spend too much time on the mobile phone, your children will adopt this habit. If you read the book, they will adopt a habit of reading a book from you. But we know that every person is unique in its personality. Even siblings are different from one another like day and night. So there is no need to compare them. Try to develop good habits and positive behaviour in them. Here are some guidelines for you to be a good parent:
- As it is mentioned above, children are more likely to involve in fun things. So to satisfy their fun side, try to set a spare time to do some fun activities with your children. It will also help make a strong bond.
- It is good to set some rules in the house and outside also. It will help in maintaining the discipline. Rules should be about sleeping, playing and homework time.
- Tell them about positive and negative behaviour. And tell them about what behaviour is desirable and what is not.
- Tell them about the consequence of bad behaviour and reward for good behaviour.
- Talking is key to everything. It strengthens your bond with your child. Ask about what they have done in school, how was their day. I will be also helpful in understanding their issues and problems they are facing outside the house.
- Your child is not a robot, keep things moderate and do not expect much from them.
- It is good to set up a routine. Set daily, weekly and monthly chores for your children and also reward them if they perform tasks assigned to them. This will prove helpful in making them a responsible person in the future.
- Teach them how to interact with others, and ask them to be helpful to their friends and classmates.
- Sharing is caring. So you need to teach them about sharing their toys, clothes and other things with their siblings. This will help in developing positive behaviour in them.
- Always encourage your children and never say negative things to them. Show them affection and love.
Conclusion
We all know that parenting is not easy, but we can try. If not perfect, we can be better parents to our children. Your children need support, be their strength. If you want them to be a good person, be a good role model for them.