If you’ve come to this article, chances are you’ve just become a parent for the first time and you’re looking for advice as to how to raise a happy, healthy, and balanced child. Or, you’re in the process of raising your kid and you’re wondering whether or not you’re doing it right. Whatever boat you’re in, the most important thing to remember is that the most important things for children are love and support. No matter how unprepared you feel or how much you feel like you’re struggling, you’re probably doing brilliantly.
Now we’ve got that out of the way, we can focus on the important stuff - the tips! Read on for 10 top tips for raising children.
1. Set boundaries
Setting clear boundaries from the start can be incredibly helpful for your parenting journey and for the development of your child. By ensuring that you have clear limits on what’s appropriate, what’s encouraged, and what’s absolutely discouraged, you can make the boundary between what’s right and wrong much more clear. When they’re little, you can use timeouts and other clear behavioral markers to show them boundaries and consequences for crossing them. When your children are older, you can have clear discussions on family rules. Ideally, the rules that you set should be easy to understand, and easy to follow and there shouldn’t be too many of them.
2. Learn the art of flexible parenting
Raising a child is an ever-changing rollercoaster of emotions, behaviors, and experiences. What worked one minute, won’t work the next. What made your darling child happy yesterday, makes them cry today. It’s easy to feel like a failure as a result of all of this change.
There are so many factors that go into raising a happy and healthy child, and what works for them might change week to week, day to day, minute by minute. So, to ensure you don’t feel ‘let down’ by what your child is doing or not doing, understand that your parenting style will have to gradually change as your child develops and grows. By committing to providing loving encouragement, and guidance and setting clear boundaries, trust that whatever happens in between will be correct.
3. Foster a love of creativity
Parenting in such a way that your child learns to become creative and use their imagination is one of the best gifts you can give them. It doesn’t necessarily come easy. That’s because it’s often easier to constantly keep children engaged with toys, books, television, games, or other types of entertainment. But by allowing your child the time and space to unfurl their creativity and discover different worlds by playing with themselves, you will help them discover the joy of independent creativity.
4. Encourage play
As a parent focused on the betterment of their child, you might find that you place a large focus on development and education. While these things have their place, they aren’t the most important things to consider. Play is very important for the development of your child, not only academically, but emotionally and physically. If you’re struggling to find the right toys for your child at their age, then make sure to look up top toys 2022. You can find the right toys for the correct age and stage of development of your child.
5. Have the professionals in place
When it comes to parenting, you can’t do it all. Make sure you have a little black book of professionals who can come to your aid. The basics are a physician and dentist. The next step is making sure you have a registered babysitter and a tutor, to help your child in any areas they’re struggling with.
6. Don’t forget yourself
It can be easy to lose yourself in the rigamarole of parenting - the feeding, the washing, the managing. But it’s so important to remember yourself, your feeds, and what makes you happy. The saying, ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’ is so true in that respect. If you don’t take care of yourself, then you won’t be able to properly take care of your children. It’s difficult to be a good role model if you’re constantly tired, stressed, or worried. So, find time to wind down and relax where you can.
If you find it difficult to find time, then try diarizing it in your planner or calendar. Create space to do things that make you feel good - reading, having a bath, working out. Whatever it is, don’t lose it to make your child feel better.
7. Have a focus on health and movement
Raising a child who has an appreciation of good food, an understanding of where it comes from, what seasons different fruits and vegetables are grown in, and a taste for healthy food is a great achievement. If you begin your work on this early - when they’re eating foods for the first time - by not demonizing vegetables and always offering wholesome, healthy meals.
Offer your children time to play outdoors and participate in activities and movement. This is so important to their development, and also helps with their mood. It’s understood now that spending time outdoors is incredibly beneficial for reducing feelings of anxiety and stress, which children do experience. So, make a habit of taking your children to parks, allow them time in the fields, and give them space to run around. It’s all important.
8. Boost your child’s confidence
So much of what you do affects how your child sees themselves. We know now that confident adults are more likely to succeed, so it’s important to help your child become that healthy, well-rounded adult. To do that, make sure to praise their wins and accomplishments and not reduce them or admonish them for things that will make them feel worthless. It’s important to be aware of the power of language and the hurt that words can cause.
Hopefully, you have found a tip or two to help you in your parenting journey. After all, it is a journey - and an amazing one at that. Good luck!
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