.. 20 Tips for Parents
Parents, Have you ever wished you knew what other parents did to raise successful children. In this article, I will share tips that will enable you to succeed with your children. 1. Communicating with Your Child- Good communication between you and your child is essential for developing a positive relationship. Talking about everyday things as you go through your day is an excellent place to start. If you and your child communicate a lot, it can make it easier to talk when big or tricky issues come up. It also develops skills for sharing with others. As your child gets older, good communication skills will make it easier for you to talk about any of their concerns. 2. Encourage your children-Encouraging children fosters a sense of accomplishment. Encouragement will develop a strong sense of self-importance, value, and worth into their adult years. Motivation sets children up for success. Encouraging children tend to build more vital self-motivation and pride in their work because the encouragement focuses on what they are doing well. 3. Empower your children – Empowering children encourages them to trust in their capabilities and the ability for potential growth. Children will need to believe in their inner strength and a sense of self-trust as they grow older. Parents can empower children by: • allowing them a choice • listening to them • allowing them to take risk • giving them responsibilities • celebrating their accomplishments • including them in family decisions 4. Read with your children – Reading is the best indicator of success. Reading is probably the most important skill that parents and schools can teach children. Reading is something that is needed to function in this world successfully. Parents who are serious about making sure their children get a good education can start this process by doing many things at home that will support the development of reading. Research has repeatedly said that parent involvement is the key to children's academic success, and reading skills indicate that success. 5. Practice mental math with children- Mental math is a group of skills that allow children to do math “in their head” without using pencil and paper or a calculator. Mental math happens when a parent asks their child a math question like 5 + 4, and the answer is attained by the child utilizing their head and not pencil and paper. When children can recall the answer to a math question without writing it down, they will feel confident and compute solutions to math problems more quickly. Parents should ask mental math questions whenever possible because the more practice children receive with mental math problems, the sharper their skills will be. 6. Provide boundaries for children-Setting boundaries and expectations for children can assist in building life skills that include patience, problem-solving, resourcefulness, responsibility, and self-discipline. It also teaches them there are consequences for their actions. 7. Provide unconditional love for your children-Love is a physical need for children. When our children receive and learn to give love, they won't be as thirsty for love from people outside the family. The authentic love of parents helps children develop an identity as a beloved child of God, who has the capacity and responsibility to share love with others. 8. Engage your children in a variety of stimulating activities-Stimulation activities will help children engage mentally which will help them reach developmental milestones faster and aid in the development of motor skills. These exercises should be aligned with their age. 9. Use consistent discipline-Consistent discipline will teach children about expectations, guidelines, and principles. Children need to be given regular discipline to be taught right from wrong. Discipline can involve rewards and punishments to teach self-control, increase desirable behaviors and decrease undesirable behaviors. 10. Engage in family activities- Participating in family activities will strengthen bonding, improve academic skills, have fewer behavior problems, greater happiness, more chance of life success. 11. Provide routines for children- Daily routines provide children with a safe, secure, and structured environment to help them grow into well-rounded and confident adults. Establishing routines early in a child’s life can lead to the following: • Development of good habits • Development of expectations • Give children confident • Learning how to complete a task • Having structure in their life • Having a sense of responsibility. 12. Ensure your children are safe- Children need to feel safe and secure in their environment to succeed. 13. Teach your children simple songs-They provide enjoyable speaking, listening, vocabulary, and language practice both in and out of the classroom. 14. Be a good role model-One of the ways to raise children in the right way is by being a good role model for them. Parents, through their personal qualities and achievements, can inspire their children to strive. 15. Use effective discipline- Effective discipline is applied with mutual respect in a firm, fair, reasonable, and consistent way. Parents shouldn’t be Inconsistency in applying punishment because children will not respect them. Parents who are very harsh with discipline (verbal abuse, shouting, name-calling) will make it hard for the child to respect and trust them. 16. Help children set goals- Goals teach children to take responsibility for their behavior and learning. It also gives them the confidence they can complete something, and it is a great lifelong skill. Four easy steps to goal setting are: • Children should choose their own goals • A parent should discuss the purpose of the goal with children • A parent should make sure the goal is small and obtainable • A parent should discuss obstacles of goals. Goals should be written down. 17. Get involved with your children’s school- Parents who get involved with their children's school demonstrate the significance of education. It also builds a strong bond with their children’s teacher for a line of communication. Furthermore, school officials are appreciative of parents who are involved and volunteer their services. Parents also become knowledgeable about educational issues, which often lead to additional learning advantages and opportunities for their children. 18. Allow children to participate in physical activities- Children who participate in physical activities develop skills for their health which is very important for their growth. Children who participate in sporting activities gain invaluable skills such as teamwork, dedication, and leadership which can carry over to the classroom and life. 19. Set high expectations- Research has shown that there is a correlation between high expectations and school performance. Expectations can motivate children to excel. Parents who start at an early age requiring their children to be responsible are building a strong foundation for their future. 20. Establish healthy eating habits-Healthy eating is essential for your child's good health, growth, and development. Healthy eating in childhood means they will have less chance of developing chronic diseases. It will also mean they feel better, look better, perform better in school, have more energy, and increase their IQ. |