Parenting is the easiest thing in the world to have an opinion about but the hardest thing in the world to do. – Matt Walsh
The following are some of the wisest commandments ever given to parents:
1. Be consistent in your actions. Keep your word. Your children will know where you stand if you are consistent, follow through with your promises, and mean what you say.
2. Children must be expected to contribute (without being paid). You should expect your children to assist you at home, but do not expect them to do so graciously all the time. Occasionally ask yourself: How is your child different from other children whom others depend on?
3. Encourage regularly and persistently. Encouragement and praise are more effective than criticism and punishment for children, so be your child’s best encourager rather than his harshest critic. It is important to encourage a child to link his or her self-esteem to the process rather than the results of their actions.
4. Put responsibility where it belongs. Children and young people should be treated as you would like them to be. It is imperative that you treat your children as if they are responsible, capable individuals. Giving children responsibility is the best way to develop their sense of responsibility.
5. It is important for you to know that children tend to view issues from only one perspective. You should take everything they say with a grain of salt. There is no evidence that children lie, but they have a tendency to exaggerate or view facts from their perspective only.
6. You must show your children love and affection. At least once a day, you must tell your children you love them. Regardless of their age, knowing they are loved is the basis of self-worth.
7. Make sure that children are behaving appropriately. You should pay more attention to your children’s positive behavior than their negative behavior. By focusing on the positive behavior, you are likely to receive that behavior in return. Give your children descriptive feedback so that they will know what they did well. For example: “It’s great that you solved the TV-watching issue without arguing. You both compromised a little, which is smart.”
8. Children should be taught independence at an early age. It is never advisable to do for a child what he or she is capable of doing for themselves on a regular basis. You should never spoonfeed your children all the time. It is your responsibility to make yourself redundant.
9. You must set limits and boundaries for your children and expect that they will push against them. Boundaries and limits are necessary for children (and particularly adolescents) as they provide them with a sense of security.
10. When dealing with children, keep a sense of humor. This will assist you in keeping things in the right perspective. Despite the fact that it may seem impossible some days, your children will soon grow up and become independent and living reflections of YOU.
The 11th (and most important) commandment is:
You should set a good example for your children. Children should be shown how to communicate, behave, and live, rather than being told how to do so. As parents, it is important to remember that your actions speak louder than your words.
It takes days and nights of hard work and effort to be a successful parent. It is therefore rewarding to put forth constant effort on behalf of your child. You must devote half of your energy to your children and it is one of the most challenging jobs in the world.
By considering these eleven successful parenting secrets that you have never been told before, you can raise a well-behaved and successful person. You should encourage your children to discover their potential, allow them to make their own decisions, never criticize them, encourage their decisions, provide them with feedback, and allow them to grow into successful, kind, and compassionate individuals.
Wishing you all a very happy & successful parenting.
My individual viewpoints are presented above, some of which I am still learning to implement in my daily life.
