| The most important learning for the child | | | | Self-esteem is how the person feels and |
| comes from his family. Parents are his first | | | | thinks about himself. Feeling loved, valued, |
| teachers. The child learns about his world | | | | wanted and respected will make children feel |
| and how to be a good person from the very day | | | | good about who they are. Parents can create |
| he is born. His sense of self comes from how | | | | such an environment for them to grow up in. |
| his parents treat him and respond to him. | | | | Once your children are confident, they can |
| | | | try new things and explore their world. |
| Child experts often advise parents to tune in | | | | |
| to their children from an early age. | | | | Parents must allow their children to make |
| Children's self-esteem is nurtured early in | | | | mistakes so that they can learn to cope and |
| life as they interact with their parents in a | | | | find out what they can do to succeed. Like a |
| positive environment. When a child gets into | | | | toddler learning to walk, he will fail many |
| trouble, parents often blame themselves for | | | | times before he achieves his goal. But once |
| being too lenient or too strict with him. | | | | he manages to do what he sets out to do, he |
| Some parents even blame the child for being | | | | will experience an overwhelming sense of |
| naughty or disobedient. | | | | pride. |
| | | | |
| The truth of the matter is, children are the | | | | Many children feel unloved because they are |
| products of either good parenting or bad | | | | scolded or punished frequently. |
| parenting and not because their parents are | | | | |
| good or bad. When we make mistakes with our | | | | The foundation of their relationship with |
| children, often times, we are not aware of | | | | their parents is built on fear and violence. |
| ways to manage our children correctly. | | | | While parents consider their acts of |
| | | | punishments as a form of discipline, their |
| We can do a better job with our children when | | | | children do not share this understanding. |
| we understand the different stages of | | | | They cannot accept the fact that their |
| development. As children mature, parents need | | | | parents inflict pain on them to teach them a |
| to manage their children's behaviour | | | | lesson. |
| differently. You cannot talk to your teenager | | | | |
| as you did when he was six years old. Listen | | | | As children grow, parents must be prepared to |
| to what your child says and find ways to | | | | allow them to take charge of their behaviour. |
| support his interests. | | | | When parents respect their children for their |
| | | | sense of independence, they will live up to |
| Communication plays a vital role in our daily | | | | parental expectations. |
| interactions with family members. We need to | | | | |
| understand what they hear and see, and be | | | | My five-year-old nephew once declared: "I |
| able to send messages in ways that they can | | | | have no freedom. My parents make me do |
| understand and accept. Children need adults | | | | everything." He feels helpless when he is not |
| to guide them in choosing the right words to | | | | allowed to do simple tasks for himself or |
| express themselves. Teaching by example is | | | | decide what he wants to do or say. |
| the most effective tool for parents. | | | | |
| | | | In today's competitive world, our children |
| Many have found that their words fall on deaf | | | | need to know that being different is |
| ears when they do not practise what they | | | | acceptable. We do not want our children to be |
| preach to their young ones. A mother of two | | | | carbon-copies. They can have their own likes |
| school-going boys remarked that today's | | | | and dislikes. They should not feel the need |
| teenagers are easily influenced by their | | | | to submit to societal pressure to look the |
| peers. She feared for her children's welfare. | | | | same and talk the same way. Parents can show |
| She wondered how she can protect her sons | | | | their children how to value different things |
| from negative influences. | | | | that they learn from others. |
| | | | |
| Children tend to draw closer to their peers | | | | We live in a multicultural society. Parents' |
| when their parents refuse to acknowledge them | | | | attitude can make a lot of difference in how |
| or listen to them. Their peers, on the other | | | | their children regard other people and accept |
| hand, make them feel accepted and loved. They | | | | their ways. Bring the various cultures into |
| never question them or belittle their ideas. | | | | your children's lives through stories, songs |
| | | | and food. |