There can’t be two opinions about the fact that parenting is both an immensely rewarding and equally challenging task. Despite their best efforts, we see parents struggling to give their children a well-balanced childhood that would simultaneously ensure that their off-springs are both happy and responsible individuals.
If you’re a parent or about to become one, these five tips will go a long way in helping you raise happy and healthy children.
Give Lots of Love
Many might feel that this is less of a tip and more like stating the obvious. However, giving lots of love does not only mean taking care of your child’s various needs. It also means expressing love through actions and words.
Many parents, especially fathers are known to have a more formal relationship with their children. They fend for their needs but hardly ever express their love through physical and verbal interaction. Hugs, kisses and compliments are all extremely important to ensure that your child grows up into a secure and confident adult.
The love that you show to your child now will help him/her in developing healthy social connections in the future and have greater emotional stability.
Lead by Example
Oftentimes parents preach honesty and integrity to their children but do not exercise the same values themselves. For example, parents might tell their children to not lie but themselves lie about small things in front of the child.
Children take a lot of influence from what they observe. Thus, if you truly want your child to be honest, empathetic, kind and have high levels of integrity, it is absolutely imperative that you demonstrate the same behaviour that you want your child to adopt.
Teach Your Child that Both Success and Failure are Part of Life
This is an extremely important life lesson that every parent must pass on to his/her children.
When your child succeeds at something, make sure you’re ready with all the praises in the world. This practice should begin as early as your child’s first year. For instance, when your child utters his/her first word or takes his/her first step, they need your encouragement to continue on that path.
However, failure is as much a part of life as is success. So, for a child to grow-up into a well-rounded, emotionally mature adult it is important that you are there with equally encouraging words in times of failure. This does not mean that you downplay his/her non-achievement but that you should be able to explain how failure is an important part of the learning process and should not be taken negatively.
A lot of parents complain that their child is very picky when it comes to food. However, a child takes on the habits that we knowingly or unknowingly inculcate in him/her.
Thus, if you really want your child to have healthy eating habits, it is important to ensure that your child is given a taste of healthy, home-cooked meals from the very beginning. Making a baby feed on french fries and other junk food items at an early age and then expecting him/her to suddenly take a liking for healthy food is unrealistic. The moment your child is old enough to eat solid foods, make sure you have a variety of healthy items available for his/her consumption.
Do NOT Over Indulge
A lot of parents mistake over-indulgence for love. Unfortunately, we are not doing our children any favours by making their every wish come true.
By giving into our children’s every demand, we are actually encouraging them to become thankless individuals who have little to no value for most things.
Similarly, by doing so we also create an unattainable expectation in their minds that everything that they desire will always be made available for them. Unfortunately, the outside world is not such an accommodating place and when such children enter practical life, they are often unable to adjust to the challenges of day-to-day living.
There you have it! Follow these five tips to raise happy and healthy children and do comment if you have any other suggestions!