To Be a Better Parent
Message from the Editor – Happy New Year 2013
The best things you can give children, next to good habits, are good memories. ~ Sydney Harris
Have you jot down your 2013 resolutions?
As we welcome the beginning of a New Year with a bang, we promise ourselves to make a few changes and to improve our lifestyle. This is the time to give ourselves a chance to make a fresh start and to ditch the bad habit.
To achieve what you wish for, the resolutions should be realistic and could be broken down into smaller and achievable steps.
Some common resolutions for the coming year
- I resolve to have a healthy lifestyle
- I resolve to have meat free meal at least once a week
- I resolve to beat the flab
- I resolve to keep my spending in check
- I resolve to spend more quality time with my family
- I resolve to be a better parent
The last one is interesting as giving priority to your children will create a great bond with them which is rewarding and satisfying in the long term.
Kids spell love T-I-M-E John Crudele.
Ask yourself “how can I be a better parent to my children?”
In an effort to be a better parent, you join the parenting forums and read up on how to be the dream parents these days, design the perfect menu with a balance nutritional mix, follow the advice from the experts on the amount of television viewing, set a schedule for bed time routine and sign up after school programs for your children. You make sure that things are going to the right direction but at times you feel that you have not lived up to the standards of perfect parents.
However, there are far too many experts out there who love to give advice. The truth is no one else knows your child better than you do! Therefore, it is best to just trust your own instincts to be a better parent to your children.
Some tips to be a better parent
- Learn the love language of each children
- Learn to be patient
- Learn to control your anger as well as what comes out of your mouth.
- Always be there for the children no matter how busy we are. That means putting down your smart phones and switch off the big screen when the children needs our attention.
- Remember that the way we treat our children today will affect them in the future especially the aspects on emotional, spiritual, intellectual and physical development. Being with the children ensures that they feel important and valued, which in turn will build their confidence and self-esteem as they grow up
- Acknowledge them for who they are, rather than what they do. For example, “I love being with you, you are such a joy to be with,” rather than “You got all A’s, I’m so proud of you.”
Some suggestions on how to be a better parent to the children?
If your child suggests playing a game together, by all means put aside your iPad and smartphone and say yes immediately. It is awesome to have child-directed family time. On the other hand, you could also initiate to do things together for example doing grocery shopping, taking regular walks at the park nearby or even doing house chores.
Instead of having family movie night once a week, you could have activities for the whole family on no screen nights, where electronic gadgets are put aside as the family engages in fun activity together. It could be bingo, twister, win lose or draw, dance to your favourite songs, transform the family room into a bowling alley, to name a few.
For family with younger ones, you could play simple games like:-
- Building a fort using chairs or blankets
- Finger paint with pudding.
- Play dough – use rolling pins and cookie cutters.
- Indoor picnic.
- Play Pirates – for family with boys
In conclusion, being a better parent is the greatest New Year’s resolution you can have, and the greatest gift you can give your kids.
Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family- Anthony Brandi.
Your partner throughout your pregnancy and parenting journey,
Pitter Patter Editor
