Parenting is an important, rewarding, and yet challenging job for parents. It is one of the main factors that determine how one child would grow up to be. Even though there is no right or wrong when it comes to parenting, positive parenting is one of the approaches across the world that would help children to develop their social and emotional skills.
The core of positive parenting is for the development of a harmonious parent-child relationship and on the well-being of parents, children, and the whole family. The purpose of such parenting is that through mutual respect, being fair to each other, setting clear boundaries and rules within the family, children will grow up to be healthy, happy and foster a confident relationship with the parents.
Benefits of raising children in positive ways:
1. Effective communication
Raising your kids up with effective communication, parents respond to what their child needs and question them if they do not understand. As a result, when children grow up, they tend to communicate well with their parents because they can expect that their voice would be heard and responded to.
2. Higher self-esteem
The approach of positive parenting is believed that there are no bad children. There are only good or bad behaviors. The main core of positive parenting teaching is to learn for the future instead of punishing their actions in the past.
3. Easier to accept challenges
When children are raised by a positive parenting approach, they are recognized and praised for their strengths, abilities, and capacity to learn and develop. When children grow up, it is easier for them to go out of their comfort zone, take on challenges and try something new.
4. Better focus and self-control
When parents provide age-appropriate guidelines and limits for children’s behavior, children will know what they can do and what they can’t with reasons from their parents. Parents may need to recognize and be able to regulate their own feelings and behaviors before they respond to their children as well.
There are “3 Fs” of Effective Parenting that parents can discipline their children effectively.
1. Firm
Parents should be firm with the rules that they set with their children. Consequences should be clearly stated and then adhered to when inappropriate behavior occurs.
2. Fair
The punishment should fit the crime. Also in the case of recurring behavior, consequences should be stated in advance so the child knows what to expect. Harsh punishment is not necessary.
3. Friendly
Parents may use a friendly-but-firm communication style when undesired behavior of their children occurs. Let them know they will receive the “agreed upon” consequence and encourage them to remember what they should do or can do better in the future. Moreover, parents are able to praise their kids for desired behaviors and tell them that it is the right way to go.
In conclusion, positive parenting is a good approach to raising children. It will benefit children’s development and also strengthen the parents-kid relationship that will last for a lifetime.
