Learning how to be a good parent isn’t difficult.
It requires a real understanding of your child and the willingness to change some aspects of your parenting style, of how you communicate with your child, react to his bad behavior.
In this guide about how to be a good parent, I’m going to give you a few tips to help you parent your child more effectively and more importantly help you find a balance between firm discipline and loving parenting.
I believe parents who want to know how to be a good parent are not bad parents, just parents who don’t know how to parent the “right” way. We all have to learn this!
How to be a good parent in 4 steps
In order to explain how to be a good parent, I’ve decided to narrow it down to 4 steps that are the basics of good parenting.
The fact that you’re wondering how to be a good parent shows that you’re already on a good track! You have no idea how many parents don’t question their parenting and blame their kids for their bad behavior.
Step 1: Understand your child.
Be as compassionate as possible, remember your child doesn’t perceive the world the way you do.
Always keep in mind that toddlers and young children have a hard time managing their own emotions so what they need is help from their parents.
Listen to what your child tells you and encourage him. Take that time. It’s something that must not be neglected as this is how you build your child’s self-esteem.
When your child throws a tantrums, is angry or frustrated, don’t forget to say “I understand what you feel, I really do”.
Must Read: How do you Calm a Child's Temper Tantrum?
Step 2: Explain things to your child.
To understand how to be a good parent, you need to know communication plays a major role in your parenting role.
It’s essential to answer your child’s questions, explain why you punish your child’s behavior (and not him, make that distinction clear). Explain the necessity of rules. They mean you care! Children accept the rules they understand.
Step 3: Be firm and consistent.
Being a loving parent doesn’t mean you have to give in and stop punishing your child.
On the contrary! Punishing a child’s behavior is very important but it’s effective only if you warned your child his bad behavior was going to have a consequence.
When you apply the consequence, your child learns that you do what you say and that having a bad behavior doesn’t bring anything nice. You can say “I love you” when you punish your child to help him or her understand that punishments are teachings.
NEVER spank (this is bad parenting, period).
Step 4: Love your child and express it.
Many parents deeply trust, love and are proud of their children but they don’t tell them!
Children can’t know this unless their parents tell them. It’s essential for a child to hear that he or she makes parents happy and proud when he/she has a good behavior.
It’s very important to praise your child’s good behavior, give him/her privileges. Positive reinforcement works. Kisses and hugs too! This is also how to be a good parent!
How to be a good parent when your child is out-of-control?
For many parents, learning how to be a good parent and applying some parenting techniques isn’t enough to end their child’s bad behavior.
Indeed, when a bad behavior is a habit in a child, parents feel powerless and not in control which makes parenting very complicated and frustrating.
Still, there’s a solution to each parenting problem thanks to parenting programs.These programs provide what parents who are struggling really need which is a different, coherent and consistent parenting method that works with very difficult children.