Positive Parenting 101
Being a parent isn’t easy. Everyday struggles with your child can make you feel like giving up at times, but it’s important to remember that they are going through tough times too and will hopefully grow into better adults as time goes on.
Positive parenting is an amazing way to bring out your child’s natural potential. It brings together knowledge and mindset for parents, who then can meet these challenges with positivity in mind – knowing it will lead them toward a rewarding path.
What is Positive Parenting?
Positive parenting is an approach to discipline and guidance that aims to bring out the positive potential in every child to become better adults. Instead of punishing your children or constantly saying “no,” you say “yes” more often than not, and encourage them with empowering reinforcement.
It may seem like a walk in the park at first, but it’s actually very challenging. It requires you to be on your toes constantly, making sure you know what your kids are doing and how it impacts their lives. You must understand that children need not only boundaries but also guidance.
Positive parenting offers a practical guide for parents around the world. It provides a solid foundation for building healthy relationships with your children with the correct mindset.
What are the Characteristics of Positive Parenting?
Being positive as a parent is not as easy as it seems. You must be able to adjust your style and accept that you’re making mistakes – it’s nothing to be ashamed of. We can all slip up from time to time, but we just need to remember that we’re humans, and we should forgive ourselves.
Here are some characteristics of positive parenting:
1. Firmness
Positive parents will set certain boundaries for their kids, knowing they won’t always agree with these rules. However, the boundaries don’t have to be too strict because you also need the flexibility to change them over time if needed. Boundaries may change as your child grows.
2. Set routines
Discipline doesn’t only mean saying “no” or imposing consequences on your children. A set of routines can be a great tool for positive parenting, as they allow you to carry out guidelines with your child so you can both benefit from having a more organized day.
3. Balancing love and support
It’s important to balance discipline with understanding the needs of your children. Sometimes being too strict without explanation will cause them to rebel against you or feel insecure about themselves. Open communication is key here. Explaining certain boundaries helps children understand that they’re not just being told off for no reason whatsoever.
4. Guidance instead of instruction
Positive parents will give their kids guidance rather than instructions on how things should be done. By working together in this way, it opens up opportunities for problem-solving and decision-making which lets them know they have value and aren’t always reliant on you.
What are some techniques for positive parenting?
Positive parenting isn’t just about what you’re saying, it’s also how you’re saying it. You can say the same thing in different ways, which will elicit varying reactions from your kids. For example, if you tell them to go to bed now but yell at them for not listening, they may ignore you the next time you ask them to do something because they know you’ll be angry or frustrated with them.
Here are some techniques of positive parenting:
1. Don’t put your kids on the defensive. If you find yourself getting angry, take a deep breath and try to understand where they’re coming from. Remember that although they may be acting in frustrating or annoying ways, it does not mean they don’t deserve love or attention.
2. Try to stay calm when giving orders or punishments because kids can sense when you’re angry or frustrated with them. They will only push your buttons more if you give in to temptation and yell at them rather than using words to resolve the issue calmly.
3. Be ready to apologize to your child should you lose your temper for any reason. Parents who are able to acknowledge their mistakes and apologize without getting defensive have stronger relationships with their kids.
4. Ask your children open-ended questions in the place of giving orders like, “What do you think we should do?” or “What would be a better choice of activity?” This encourages them to think for themselves rather than simply following your instructions, and they’re more likely to listen to what they say because it came from them instead of you.
5. Be willing to help when asked and give praise when earned. Helping your children whenever they ask for assistance will make them motivated to come to you when they need help rather than waiting until they have done something wrong before asking for your attention.
6. Always be positive with your attitude and let kids know when they’ve done a good job rather than punishing them for doing something wrong or making mistakes.
Positive parenting doesn’t happen overnight – it’s a long process that takes time and patience, especially if you’ve had different approaches with your children in the past.
It can also be hard to break any negative habits but just keep working at it and you'll find that not only does it work for your family, but you'll enjoy being around your kids more too.