| Parenting is as much a learning business for us as | | | | Even adults make mistakes and children have |
| traveling through childhood is for our children. Parenting | | | | reasonable ideas. In such situations parents should |
| is one of the most difficult jobs that nature has | | | | apologize in the same way we expect our children to |
| provided us with. Being a parent means not only being | | | | apologize us. |
| sensitive to each child and each situation; it also calls | | | | 7.Check your "dont's" No one likes a lot of negativity. |
| on us to stretch our imagination as we respond to the | | | | It sounds like nagging. Too many "dont's" can hinder a |
| constant challenges our children present us with. | | | | child's natural instinct to explore. Unless it is a life and |
| Children can be demanding, difficult and defiant! No | | | | death situation of something that will harm the child in |
| advice can possibly make you get it right every time, | | | | some way, avoid using this word. Always check |
| but a few points kept in mind would take you a long | | | | whether you are using it for your convenience or for |
| way in dealing with daily discipline. | | | | child's safety. Good behavior should be rewarded with |
| 1.The miracle of touch. | | | | praise, encouragement or a hug rather than with |
| Out of the five senses touch is considered to have | | | | sweet treats or money. |
| healing qualities. Whether it takes the form of hugs, | | | | 8.Children should be children! |
| horseplay or simply holding hands on the way to | | | | Parents often make the mistake of expecting children |
| school, loving physical contact provides a simple and | | | | to be mini adults and be have the way they want |
| almost unconscious way of showing you care. | | | | them to behave. Children are naturally clumsy, forgetful, |
| 2.Keep the fun alive. | | | | and accident prone. Therefore they should never be |
| With all the commitments at home and work, most | | | | punished for pure childishness. Bad behaviors should be |
| parents forget the word "fun" aspect of parenting. | | | | dealt with justly and the punishment appropriate to the |
| Young children love jokes and being silly. The familiarity | | | | crime. Naughtiness is sometimes prompted by |
| of special words, pet names and silly voices always | | | | boredom or a feeling of neglect. At such times the |
| manage to brighten a child's day. | | | | solution will involve providing a stimulating activity for |
| 3.Flexibility helps! | | | | the child or giving him attention. |
| Parents sometimes expect too much of children. They | | | | 9.Being "in control" is not really "controlling". |
| ten to forget that children have a vantage point that is | | | | Children do not need to be "Controlled" but when they |
| above three feet lower that an adult's! bending down | | | | deliberately misbehave parents should be "in control" of |
| to get a child's eye view of a situation can save most | | | | the situation. They should effectively manage and |
| upsets, accidents and mishaps. | | | | guide their behavior. Often the expression on your |
| 4.Good manners go a long way. | | | | face or the tone of your voice will be enough to deter |
| Little children do not always know or remember "the | | | | all but the most determined little ones. Yet there are |
| right thing" to say in every situation. They should be | | | | times when just a stem face or a word would not do. |
| encouraged to use the terms such as please, sorry, | | | | Then appropriate and tangible action is required. |
| thank you where appropriate. It's amazing the | | | | 10."Spare the rod" but do not spoil the child. |
| difference the right words can make. They can often | | | | Children's behavior sometimes calls for sterner |
| help from the right attitude too. | | | | measures than just a small punishment by way of |
| 5.Children need limits. | | | | forbidding what he likes to do or sending him to the |
| Being cool helps but children also need to learn the | | | | room. Deliberate, repeated defiance and purposely |
| difference between what is acceptable and | | | | hurting another child are situations that need to be dealt |
| unacceptable behavior and understand that behavior | | | | with immediately. A well timed smack can be most |
| has consequences whether pleasant or unpleasant. | | | | effective way of correcting this type of behavior. A |
| Idle threats should be avoided at all times and always | | | | controlled smack (on the hand, leg or the bottom) will |
| mean what you say. | | | | help your child associate this unacceptable behavior |
| 6.Being in charge does not mean being a tyrant! | | | | with unpleasant consequences and deter him from |
| Parents often forget that children are individuals and | | | | repeating it. make sure he understand what he did |
| tend to mold them into ideal persons that they want | | | | wrong and encourage him to say sorry. However, by |
| their children to be. Although there are times when | | | | your words and actions let your child know that |
| "because i said so" is appropriate, more often than not | | | | although his behavior may have been unacceptable, he |
| it is better to give a reason for what you have said. | | | | is always loved. |