What Is Good Parenting?

It’s common knowledge to find that there are a lot of families out there who enjoy comparing their children to other children and my question is – why? When did it become a parenting tactic to constantly compare one’s child? There’s a difference between encouraging your child and not acknowledging your child for who they are regardless of what decisions they make in life. As a parent, your job is to help guide them, not completely control their entire life because of your own selfish desires. Or perhaps you are unaware that what you’re doing may in fact do more harm than good? Then perhaps you’d like to look at these few examples.

 1. Comparison over praise.

This is probably a no-brainer, but try not to constantly compare them to someone else and not acknowledge their hard work. They’ve worked so hard to gain your praise and it helps motivate them to do better knowing that they’re being acknowledged. 

2. Don’t control their dreams.

Your children have their own aspirations and dreams in life, even if it means taking the harder path in life. Give them a chance to show the world what they’re made of and even if they fall, you’ll still be there for them. Don’t take control of something that is not yours. This is their life, their dreams, their struggles, and their desires. As a parent, I can understand that you want what’s best for your child, so why not talk it over with them and come up with a compromise where everyone is happy?

3. Stop coddling them like babies. 

At some point in their life, you should start teaching them right from wrong. I can understand that as a parent, you only want to see your child in a positive light but that doesn’t help them. Once they’re old enough to understand, try to explain to them that what they did was wrong, and they need to own up to their own mistakes. 

4. Listen to them. 

A lot of the time, parents fail to listen to their children when they cry out for help. If you’re too hard on them or too strict on them, it makes it even harder for them to reach out to you for help. Before flipping your switch, calm down and try to listen to their side of the story. Let them cry out their frustrations, insecurities, and worries that plague their thoughts. 

Did some of these examples give you a penny for your thoughts? Take these examples with a grain of salt. Parenting is hard work and it’s a respectable job that doesn’t get enough credit. If you’re a parent and you’re going through hard times, reach out for help when you need it.