Parents should remember to follow things for the good of their children-
1. To be a positive role model for children:
Parents are the role models for their children. The children copy how their parents behave. Hence, when the parents deal well with their everyday stresses, life challenges and problems, they show the children how to do the same in their lives. And the children learn to stay calm and flexible in coping with their challenges and stress in life.
Whereas when a parent mishandles a difficult situation, their children might also learn to do the same in their lives.
2. Need for outside support:
Humans are social by nature. It is difficult to spend a solitary life peacefully. We all need the support of people to carry out day-to-day life activities. Parents should remember this. Hence, Parents ought to teach the children the need to strengthen relations with their friends, relatives and other people.
This will help the children to develop a strong support system to be there for them all through life.
3. A lot of attention:
In everyday life we all need attention from our near and dear ones; children also need attention from their parents. They feel good and important when parents listen to their ideas.
The act of smiling, nodding and hugging are examples of attention by the parents and parents should remember this.
In this way, children develop self-worth and self-respect.
4. Showing and telling your affection:
While writing a novel, one has to remember that the characters have to show their emotions and not tell their feelings. However, in real life, we must convey our emotions. We must both show and tell our emotions.
Parents should remember to tell their children how much they love their children. Using phrases like ‘I adore you,’ ‘I like you,’ along with smiles and hugs makes your children feel secure and loved.
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5. Unconditional Acceptance:
No one in this world is perfect. We all have some anomalies, but we do not accept them. It is human nature that we want to be perfect ourselves and we expect the same from others.
Acceptance of imperfections is a rare thing.
The same mistake also happens when the parents judge their children. They do not accept their children as they are. Parents want their children to be somebody else.
This makes children feel insecure.
To make the children confident and secure, parents must accept their children unconditionally. Using phrases like ‘I am so lucky to have you,’ ‘you are my star,’ and ‘little angel’ make the children feel secure and accepted.
6. Listen to the children attentively:
Due to any unpleasant situations or events, when children feel hurt, sad or angry, parents should listen to them attentively. Parents must not argue or guide at that time. When the parents just listen to them with concern, children feel comforted. And they feel that they are not alone with their bad feelings.
Thus, they learn healthy ways to comfort themselves and others as they get older.
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7. Spend time in sports activities:
Fun time is the best time to connect with your children. And playing is a great fun activity. While playing with children has many benefits, the best part of it is to know them better. It helps parents to understand children’s emotional and psychological state of mind. Parents should remember this important aspect.
Sports activities also develop physical, imagination and social skills in children.
8. Welcome their thoughts:
Parents sometimes feel that the children are too young to think in a mature way. And as such, they undervalue the thoughts and ideas of children. This attitude of parents makes the children feel unimportant and they develop an inferiority complex.
Therefore, parents must value children’s feelings, thoughts and ideas. This lets them feel that what they think and say is important. This develops a sense of self-confidence in children.
9. Empathise with Children:
It is good to see things from children’s point of view. This does not mean that parents always have to agree with children. It just means that the parents understand the children’s feelings and points of view.
When children are understood by their parents, they learn to understand others.
Empathy teaches children to connect with other people throughout their lives.
9. Teaching the children to express their feelings:
Children go through many emotions, for example, hurt, fear, happiness, sadness, disappointment etc. However, sometimes due to their introverted nature, children do not share their feelings and thoughts with anyone. This creates complications in their personalities. Hence, to teach the importance of expressing feelings, parents must point out why other people share their feelings.
(To note that sharing of feelings keeps a person psychologically stable, emotionally strong and mentally active.)
10. Restriction on screen (TV, computer, Smartphones) time:
Children under two years should not watch any Screen and after two years they can watch less than an hour a day. The screen time for elder children must also be less. This is recommended to save them from the adverse effect on their eyesight.
In place of watching the screen, they should play with friends in the parks, read books and learn new activities.
This will help them improve their health and knowledge.
11. Develop a habit of book reading:
In old days, grandmothers used to tell folk tales to the children. This used to create curiosity among children and they used to get acquainted with many different cultures and traditions of people. A good story teaches the children values in a subtle way.
Through storytelling, parents can teach the children about people who show compassion, understanding and kindness to others.
Parents must encourage children to read books. They can gift books on their birthdays.
