Has your child not been receptive to you lately? You try to provide for everything they need. What could you have done wrong?
Most parents think they know everything about their children and their needs as they grow up, but that is not always the case. There may be some misconceptions from the side of the parents. If you are keen on further understanding the inner workings of your child’s mind, there are online counseling workshops available to help you understand them more. If you don’t know your child well enough and it has caused some friction now and then, it might be best to find appropriate ways to take action.
Parenthood: Say what?
You may be giving your children all the material things they want but what about their emotional needs as small but growing individuals? Despite doing everything you can for your child, you may still be guilty of common parenting mistakes that could affect your child’s development. Don’t worry. Simply correct your mistakes and move forward.
Mistakes in Parenting
There are common mistakes in parenting that might hinder a child’s proper development.
Parents may often overlook their child’s feelings. When faced with a difficult situation, telling your child to “get over it” or to “not be sad about it” may teach them that it is not okay to express one’s emotions. Instead, teach your child how to cope with difficult feelings and to process them properly. Ask your child what you or they could do to make themselves feel better about the given situation.
Even though your child may be the most gifted and talented kid in the world, surprisingly, it is detrimental to a child’s developing mindset to tell them so. It is not wise to directly tell your child that they are smart, talented, or even creative. Doing so will prevent the child from developing a growth mindset as they mature. This will get in the way of their learning. Instead, it is better to focus on the child’s behavior that got them to achieve such an accomplishment. For example, it is okay to acknowledge how much hard work a child has exerted to accomplish a given task.
Are you a strict disciplinarian? You might want to rethink your parenting strategy. Forcing your child into a strictly disciplined routine may hinder your child from exploring the world as a young human being. A child should be able to learn through play and exploration. Without this experience, your child may become anxious or rebellious.
These are some examples of parenting mistakes to avoid if you want your child to grow up healthy and happy (which all parents should want!) So how can you avoid further widening the gap between you and your child? How can you get to know your child better to become a better parent?
Good job, Mom and Dad!
Good parenting is every parent’s dream. Here are ways on how you can improve your parenting style to avoid friction between you and your child.
One of the obvious tips is to ask your child about their day. Create a casual conversation with them to encourage an exchange of ideas and perhaps even creativity in telling stories. You can do this over dinner or any time of the day that you two are available. This will encourage them to voice out their thoughts without being afraid of judgment.
Let your kids enjoy their childhood. Let them be just that — kids! Childhood is an important part of human development. This could be when their happiest memories will be formed so it is best to play a good role in these growing up years.
Try having a game night with the family or something to bond over like movies and popcorn. Make it a relaxed environment where you can just enjoy each other’s company while getting to know each other better. Communication is two-way so your child will also be getting to know you more. Let it be natural.
You can explore many ways on how to get to know your child better. Just relax and don’t stress about it too much.
The Stressed Parent
If you are a busy parent seemingly without any extra time for your kids, you might want to rethink your work setup. Spending time with family is most important especially during your child’s growing up years. You wouldn’t want your child to grow up resenting you and their childhood.
No matter how busy you are, make sure you allot time for your loved ones. This will also help you monitor any changes in behavior that may need to be addressed. Apart from this, children grow up so fast these days that even if you watch them 24/7, it never seems enough! What more if you focus too much on your career?
Parenting is hard work but seeing your child grow up to be independent and responsible individuals is worth every sacrifice. Get to know your child better today and keep your family closer than ever.
