Some parents seek to immerse their children in the arts. Others like sports or family outdoor activities. There are many ways to be a great parent, but here are 5 traits all great parents share:
Listening
There are many people who will teach your child things and give them encouragement and support, but only you can parent. A parent should know their child better than anyone else, and the way to understand them is to spend time listening and asking questions.
Love
Children (and all of us) crave love and acceptance. Children can be spoiled by getting too many things, but never by too much love. One parenting help tip is to be creative in showing love to your child. Always tell them you love them, but also give them hugs, a joke that only you understand, or a chance to snuggle on the couch.
Adaptability
As a child grows up, he goes through different developmental stages which require parents to adjust. How you respond to a child can depend on what you know about your child's situation at the time, their personality, and their developmental age. Great parents seek to understand and adapt their parenting to their individual child's needs and seek help from teachers or pediatricians if they need it.
Guidelines
Setting clear and simple guidelines for behavior when children are young helps them to develop self-control. Moreover, children who have clear, consistent structure at home do better at school because they are used to following rules and listening to adults.
Foster Independence
As the saying goes, parenting is about giving children "Roots and Wings." Giving your child love, structure and a listening ear establishes their roots. Allowing them to make their own decisions helps them develop the independence they need to grow up.
Great parenting is a journey, and it helps to have other people along the way to give you parenting help. Kids Konnect seeks to give parents the support they need to understand their child's developmental process. Which aspect of great parenting do you think is most important?