5 Ways of Effective Parenting

Parenting to children must not be thought as a task to undertake or as an endeavor that must be endure a lifetime. It is an endowment that must be acknowledged and cherished. Remember, not everyone is privileged to become a parent. In any cases, at times, parenting is exhausting. Children can draw our energy. To avoid this tight spot, here are 5 ways of effective parenting:

BE A ROLE MODEL
You can’t just tell your child to do this or do that. If you want your child to become a better person, you must show good example. You can’t ask your child not to say foul words, when every time you finish your sentence is with the F--- word. Remember, children are the greatest mimic. You can’t teach a child things that are opposite on what you are actually doing. And by being a role model to your child, not only you teach him to be a better person but you also become one.


BE FIRM AND CONSISTENT
Learn to say “NO!” to your child. Lay your ground rules well and explain to your child why it must be followed. You must stick to your rules. Don’t say that there can always be exemption to the rules. If you do this often, you end up being inconsistent. Thus, your child might think of you as a liar.


BE APPRECIATIVE
Children seek approval from adults especially from their parents. Oftentimes some parents tend to forget to acknowledge their children’s effort on the things they do. Some parents are more heedful when children are misbehaving so they can correct them right away but forgetting to recognize them when they actually behave well. Simple words like “Thank you!”, “You are good!” etc. are words that can positively boost the spirit of a child.



BE A LISTENER
Children love telling stories. Give time to listen to your child’s stories. Quit saying always to your child “Later! Not now, I’m busy.” These words push your child away and closing the doors to communicate openly with you. Listen to your child’s corny jokes, wild imagination, etc. This way, you are teaching your child to learn how to communicate well.



BE EXPRESSIVE
Express yourself. You can be angry or sad. You can be jolly or glad. You can loose your temper or be prim and proper. You can be thoughtful and sweet. You can be affectionate. But make sure in every emotional expression you do or have, don’t forget to explain to your child why you have these kinds of feelings. Explain well why you feel certain emotions in different situations. By expressing yourself, you are imparting your emotional quotient to your child and he learns to learn to express himself too. And remember, emotional quotient is better than intelligence quotient for a person to succeed in life.