10 Positive Parenting Tips You Should Know
Your parenting style can have an impact on your child’s development. When we focus on positive parenting techniques, we get the desired behaviour we want and we help to create children who are mentally healthier and better adjusted.
Yet many parents are not sure where to start when it comes to carrying out positive parenting practices. So here are 10 positive parenting practices that you can adopt.
- Parent by example, or model what you expect. Young children, in particular, will mimic everything that you do. When you make poor choices in behaviour, you are giving them permission to act in the same ways. If you don't want your children to throw tantrums, avoid having a meltdown in front of them.
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Give your children lots of nurturing physical attention. Children like hugs, cuddles and holding hands.
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Have appropriate family rules in your home. Rules should be easy to follow, enforceable, and positively stated (e.g. wash your hands before meals). Let your child know what the consequences will be if they break the rules.
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Stay calm when your child misbehaves. Give them clear instructions to stop misbehaving and tell them what you would like them to do instead. Praise them if they follow your instructions (e.g. “Thank you for not throwing food on the floor!”).
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Children tend to misbehave when they are bored, so keep them engaged with indoor and outdoor activities.
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Children also need positive attention. If they do not receive positive attention from you, they may attempt to trigger negative attention. This is because negative attention is still attention, and any attention is better than being ignored.
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Similarly, avoid negative emotional reactions, such as anger, sarcasm, and ridicule, on your part. Reacting negatively will only make your child feel worse, just when he or she has problems dealing with their own emotions.
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Punishment is rarely as effective as using praise and rewards. Rather than focus on weaknesses, find ways to help your child to develop talents to compensate for any deficiencies.
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Set realistic expectations. Children misbehave sometimes, and it is inevitable that you will face challenges related to discipline. If you aim to be the perfect parent who is alway nurturing, you may set yourself up for frustration and disappointment.
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Give yourself permission to unwind or do something that you enjoy. It is difficult to be a calm, relaxed parent if you are stressed, feeling anxious or depressed.
These may take a little adjusting, especially if you are not used to using positive parenting practices. However, if you stick with them, you will eventually see and love the results.
Community Ambassador; as someone who was raised in a rather privileged family, I hope to address the inequity in educational outcomes based on the circumstance of birth. Bounced around between Australia and Singapore a fair bit.