Many parents today are interested in developing positive parenting skills. While there’s no exact definition for positive parenting, it usually refers to focusing on rewarding good behavior rather than on punishing unwanted behavior. In this approach, parents encourage their child to act in appropriate ways and at the same time they help their child build his or her self-esteem. There are many ways to become a more positive parent, and in this article we’ll be discussing some practical suggestions.
Among the activities children do, play is among the most important ones. It is during play that children develop many areas related to intelligence and creativity.
Nowadays, children should be encouraged to play outside as well. Kids will benefit from playing sports and organized activities. However, kids should have some unstructured playtime as well. This allows them to use their imaginations and come up with their own games and ways of entertaining themselves. There is also evidence that kids who spend more time outdoors have fewer behavior problems than those who are always indoors watching television or using a computer.
An essential skill that will factor in your child’s success in the real world, reading can be a source of pleasure for your child as well. If your child is still quite young, start reading to them every day as doing so will encourage a love for reading. As they get older, you can read with them and help them learn new words. Even though reading is something that your child is going to be taught how to do in school, it’s still a good idea to help your child out in this area. You’re bonding with your child when you read with them. Not only that, but you’re teaching them to appreciate books and enjoy learning. Make sure that you read a variety of materials to your child (appropriate to your child’s age, of course!) because this will help you uncover any talents or interests in your child.
Kids need a certain amount of sleep and rest to be healthy and to be on their best behavior. Young kids especially must have regular naps on top of their nightly sleep.
Enforce a bedtime for the kids that is reasonable and no matter what, never allow your children to stay up past this time. Your children’s sleep can be interrupted if they are eating foods that are high in sugar or drinking beverages that are caffeinated so watch out for this. Learning and behavior issues tend to be exhibited by children who are not getting adequate rest and sleep.
When you practice positive parenting, you have a better chance of developing a healthy relationship with your children. If you find that your child has a problem, as a parent, you’ll need to focus on finding solutions and then anticipating positive outcomes. The positive parenting methods we’ve explored in this article can help get you started, and there is plenty of additional information on this topic available online and elsewhere.