Modern parenting comes with elephantine challenges, especially when you try to adopt the parenting style for your kid that was implemented on you many years back. Acceptance, understanding, and awareness are three basic tenets for raising a confident, caring, and compassionate child. Here is a guide to help you deal with the trials of modern parenting.
1. Fulfilling the Biological Needs
Does your child frequently throw tantrums? Mostly an unsatiated biological need is a reason for it. A hungry and exhausted child would never listen to you. For infants and toddlers, follow a regular eating and sleeping schedule to ensure their health. A dilemma that parents face is children these days are picky eaters. You cannot directly force them to eat veggies, fruits, or cereals. So a smart tactic is to make the stuff appealing to their eyes.
2. Fulfilling the Psychological Needs
Love is the food for the soul. No one can doubt the unconditional love parents have for their children. This is not enough. Small gestures of love and affection satisfy the psychological needs of a child. Replacing your presence with things never works. Things come and go, but experiences always remain alive in your memory. No matter how busy you are, spend memorable quality time with your children. Indulge them in outdoor activities rather than introducing gadgets. See them growing and learning new skills. Appreciate them, reward them, and guide them.
3. Train their Brain
Nowadays, artificial intelligence has rendered a tough competition to human intelligence. As a consequence, you feel much pressured about your child's IQ without realizing how adversely it could impact their emotional health. Scores don't matter, but skills do. Comparing or judging hamper the mental abilities of a child. Reward him over little achievements.
Like adults, children may also be going through hard times. Listen to their teeny-tiny problems with sympathy. It would help them grow into a sympathetic adult. Give them choices; let them take small decisions. It would sow the seeds of good leadership in them.
4. Telling and Showing
"Actions speak louder than words." As a modern parent, you cannot overlook the presence of your rivals "disguised digital adults" in your home. Yes, the TV, YouTube, social media sites, and games that educate your children when you are not around. The only key to defeat these rivals is establishing a strong bond with your child. Children don't pay much attention to what you tell them; instead, they observe and imitate your actions. So first, do it yourself what you want your child to do; otherwise, your digital rivals would win the race.
5. Modern Parenting for Modern Teenagers
Parenting teenagers is trickier as you are dealing with individuals who are struggling with a transitional state of body and mind. There could be sudden outbursts of emotions, frustration, and aggression from both sides. Teenagers are touchy about their self-esteem, freedom, and privacy. They are confused about their sexual desires. Instead of taking it as a taboo, parents should start educating them about sex in a frank and friendly manner. Otherwise, the internet would take over the job. Spying on your teenagers doesn't do any good rather, it instigates rebelliousness in them. Also, they learn to conceal information from their parents.
Conclusion
Every child deserves the best. Almost every parent wants the best for their child. Modern parenting demands more vigilance and awareness on the parent’s part. Some minor modifications in your parenting approach might help you in raising a good human being.
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