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15 Best Ways to Improve Your Parenting Skills
Being a parent can be daunting. Not only is your child’s health in your hands, but you are also responsible for raising them well. Raising children who are well-adjusted, responsible, yet aren’t burdened by the world around them seems exceptionally hard. In today’s age, when we are more aware of developmental psychology, being apprehensive of having the ‘right’ parenting style is perfectly understandable.
Video: 10 Best Ways to Improve Your Parenting Skills
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15 Tips To Enhance Your Parenting Skills
There are three areas you can concentrate on while trying to bring in positive parenting.
Increasing Positive Interactions
It is important to expose your child to constructive conversations. Here are a few ways in which you can enhance positive interactions with your little one.
1. Spend Quality Time with your Child
If you have more than one child, make sure you spend quality time with each child separately as well as together. One -on- one time with your child will help you understand your child better and enhance your bond as well. Use this time to encourage your child in whichever activity you choose together. Do not use this time to correct or teach her anything, just concentrate on spending time with each other.
2. Set Clear Limits
Children need structure in order to flourish. . Explain the rules to your child so that she can understand why you have these rules in place and the consequences of not having them at all . Answer any question she may have patiently and as clearly as you can.
3. Ask Her Questions and Listen to the Answers
Asking questions when your child is young opens lines of communication that will be helpful as she grows older. Ask questions about her daily routine and listen to her answers to initate the conversation further.
4. Practice What you Preach
Children are great imitators and will pick up habits that they see in their surroundings. . They also look for what is good in people around them. So, if you take the ‘do as you’re told or because I said so’ route, your child is going to be confused. She will also not trust you when you do the opposite of what you ask her to do and will pick up your habits anyway.
Decreasing Unhelpful Habits
Not everything that is asked of you is always the right thing that needs to be done. As parents, you may want to give everything to your child, however it is imperative to draw a line and make them understand that certain habits are not always helpful in getting things done. Also discouring these habits and a few other tips may help:
5. Soften Reactions
Children and adolescents push buttons to get a reaction from adults . While it may seem hard, you must keep a control on your irritation and annoyance and answer them firmly yet gently.
6. Do Not do Everything
Your child needs to understand that she must learn to acquire skills and look after herself too. This will only be beneficial for her future. Once your child learns a new skill, leave it to her to do it when she needs to. It might be hard to give your child space, but that is precisely what she needs for full development.
7. Stop Nagging
When you give attention to any behaviour either negative or positive, that behaviourtends to increase. So instead of pointing out a habit that is undesirable, do not pay attention to it. Instead, praise your child when she does something positive.
8. Handle Parental Conflict behind Doors
When your child sees you and your spouse arguing or disagreeing over a parenting technique or decision, she will see it as an opening to pit one against the other to her advantage. Instead, talk about your approach with each other away from your child and make adjustments that will be to your child’s benefit.
Helping Yourself Become a Better Parent
9. Build a Strong Support System
Do not underestimate the value of bringing in the other adults your child interacts with. Talk to her teacher, coach, grandparents and even your neighbours. Keeping them in the loop will help you understand how your child is developing in spheres that are outside your realm. It will also give you some space and time to do things for yourself.
10. Delegate
Knowing when to delegate is half the battle. Accept offers on babysitting or get help with the chores around the house. No one person is equipped to deal with the sheer amount of work that is involved in raising a child. Get the grandparents involved in aspects that will bring joy to them as well.
11. Do Not Forget Yourself
Sometimes, in all the flurry of raising a child, we forget that we existed before the little one arrived. Take time each day with a few rituals to boost your sense of self. Most parents are fatigued when raising their child. Spend time to re-energise yourself as this will not only remove any stress but will also make you a better parent
Listen to your gut while parenting, as it is usually right. Other good parenting tips that you must keep in mind while raising your child are:
12. Unconditional Love
One of the most important things your child will learn is that you love her unconditionally. However, it can be assumed that this is understood by your child inherently. Your child must be shown that your love for her is not based on parameters. When you confront your child about any issue, do not find faults, criticize, or blame your child which could cause her to feel under-confident. Knowing there is someone in their corner no matter what, will empower your child.
13. Be Affectionate to Your Spouse in Front of your Child
Your child will look upto you and your spouse to know what a marriage looks like. Showing affection that is genuine towards each other will teach your child thatthis is how adult relationships look like.
14. Be Consistent
There is nothing more damaging to a child than an unstable environment. If your rules and behaviour changes on a daily basis, your child will get confused and their misbehaviour may continue. You must figure out your list of non-negotiable rules or conditions that are based on wisdom and not power. Take the time to explain these rules to your child. The chances of adhering to a set of rules that are consistent are significantly higher than ones that keep changing to suit your needs.
15. Earn Respect, Do Not Demand It
Most parents assume that as parents they are worthy of respect from their child. However, your child will not think the same and will question your authority if you demand respect. Treat your child with the same respect and you’ll find her reciprocating the same. .
Giving birth to a healthy child and thereafter making sure that they stay healthy is only half the battle won. Talk to other parents and have a healthy discussion on what works as a general practice and what doesn’t. You must also remember to not be too hard on yourself. Being a parent is not easy and you are bound to make mistakes. Own up to them and have a healthy conversation with your child.
There are many books on how to be a good parent and plenty of people ready to give you parenting advice. Do not be overwhelmed by all the input and figure out a strategy with your co-parent. Good parenting skills match that of your child’s needs as opposed to what other people are saying around you.
Also Read: Parenting Tips on How to Make Your Child Smart & Intelligent Read more
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How to Set-up a Small Home Library
For a book lover, the best place in the world is a library. If you've thought of owning your own or want to surprise your husband and the kids with one, read on for interesting home library interior design tips to help you.
A self-confessed bibliophile, your idea of relaxing is curling up on a couch with a steaming cup of coffee and a great book. Like other bibliophiles, you’re always collecting books till you find yourself running out of space. What you need is a home library to keep everything in one place and proudly displayed. There are many design ideas, each catering to different needs. Find your fit and get started - build your little Eden!
Gorgeous Home Library Design Ideas
1. Paint it Bright
If you have a built-in bookshelf or a small cupboard in your living room or bedroom, consider giving it a bright coat of colour. It’s a simple but great home library interior design that pops. You can pick a lighter shade for the inside and paint the outer part of the bookshelf with a brighter shade. The contrast will add another level of charm to your books. It’ll sure make reading time more fun for you and your loved ones.
2. Elegance to The Core
Wood never loses its charm no matter what you’re using it for. An elegant and sophisticated home library furniture design can comprise of wood panels specially made for your books. You can place them in the living room and bedroom for a chic look. The kids’ bedrooms can have panels with cute paintings featuring a cartoon theme.
3. Ceiling Emphasis
In houses with enough space where you can dedicate a whole room to a library offer plenty of design options. One of the most popular home library decor styles is to get wall-to-wall bookshelves and add some emphasis to the ceiling. If you have a big budget, a coffer ceiling made of wood will make your library come alive and give the room a very upscale feel.
4. Build it in
If you don’t have enough space in your house, look at small home library ideas. One way to show off your books without hogging up space is to get a few bookshelves built into the walls of your living room or bedroom. You can place a couch or a couple of chairs and lay down a soft rug to make things cosy.
5. Design it Right
A clever reading room idea that’s sure to get you lots of compliments from family and friends is to install bookshelves diagonally to form a criss-cross on the wall. It’s a step away from the traditional vertical or horizontal bookshelves. The idea can be applied to your children’s rooms as well. Even your husband’s study zone could be given a touch of contemporary style with these stylish bookshelves.
6. From The Top
While it can be frustrating having to fit things into small rooms, you can give your library an illusion of space. A creative home library decorating idea is to build in bookshelves that go up to the ceiling of the room. This vertical installation will make the room look much bigger even if you fill the entire bookshelf with books.
7. Get Young Ones to Read
Inculcate the love of books in your little ones from an early age. Home libraries for kids have been in vogue for a long time. You can dedicate a wall in your children’s rooms to display interesting books that will grab the attention of the young ones. Make sure that the shelves are low enough so that they can easily pick books they like.
Say goodbye to rushing to a library to find your favourite book, or stuffing your tomes into boxes. With these home library design ideas, you can treat yourself and loved ones to your very own personal library. Show off your collection of novels, coffee table books and more. It can act as a conversation starter and is something you’ll be proud of for keeps. Read more
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Encourage your Child To Teach a Sibling
A sibling is a child's first friend, no matter what the age difference between the two is. Brothers and sisters are the ones you share your stories, secrets, clothes and toys with, so no wonder the bonding is very unique. This International Literacy Day on September 8, why not encourage your older kids to teach life lessons (as also school lessons) to their younger siblings? This will also ease some of your mommy stress!
The temptation to become a super-mom is very strong in most women, which might compel you to take charge of everything in your child's life. You might want to be the one who teaches everything you know to your kids. However, experts suggest that if you have two or more kids, it is better to let the elder child teach some things to his siblings. A child will often look-up to his elder sister or brother to learn skills like socialising, dealing with bullies, fashion tips and simple games. As a parent, seeking tips to make your child help his younger sibling is but natural. So let's get started!
What Can an Elder Sibling Teach
1. Computer and Mobile Basics
Children today know a great deal more about the latest technology. They are fast learners and know how to operate a phone, a laptop or a tablet. Since they know the basics well, ask them to pass this knowledge to the younger one. Starting and shutting-down a device, mouse-functionalities, and playing music on it can be some starting points. After all, tech literacy is paramount in today's world.
2. Sports and Games
Is big brother good at table tennis? Has the elder sister mastered swimming? Then who else can be a better teacher to their younger sibling! Ask your child to take out 15 minutes from their game time to show how it's done to their sibling. They might resist at first, wanting to spend more time with friends. You can try to patiently make them understand, or promise them a treat after they do it.
3. Academics
Studies can never be ignored! If both your children go to school, then ensuring that they both revise and do their homework can be very time-consuming. The easiest way to save time is to put the elder child in charge of the younger one's studies. Ask him to check their sibling's homework and get corrections done.
4. Household Chores
You've painstakingly taught your first-born the nitty-gritty of simple household chores. It can be quite a task to do it all over again with the younger child. Your older child can again come to the rescue. Praise them on what an efficient job they are doing (even if they are not) and suggest corrections. Also ask them to be a good 'supervisor' and teach the younger one.
Teach These Yourself
However heart-warming it is to see your children bond during such teaching session, there are some things that are best left to be taught by professionals.
1. Internet Supervision
As a parent, you need to draw a line when it comes to internet usage at an early age. Though internet is an incredibly powerful tool, it is also a place where things can go terribly wrong if you don't keep a check on what your elder one is doing and passing on to their siblings.
2. Driving
Unless there is almost a decade's gap between the two children, don't ask the older sibling to give driving lessons. Experience plays a big role here, so either give driving lessons yourself or get them enrolled in a driving school.
3. Handling Heavy-Duty Electrical Tools
A parent should do the teaching when it comes to operating drill machines or saws — just to keep the chances of accidents to bare minimum.
This International Literacy Day on September 8, let the lessons begin at home! Siblings can be great teachers and nothing drives the point home better than explaining it to someone else. What's more, your kids will gel much better together, with the older ones developing a sense of responsibility and the younger ones finding teachers who are really considerate! Read more
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How Tricky Questions By Our Kids Make Us Think Hard
One day, my daughter was watching her favourite cartoon. In that cartoon, they were explaining about the different types of nails like common nails, box nails, roofing nails, etc., which we use in our day to day life for fixing the things. Suddenly my daughter came up to me and asked, "Mumma in this cartoon show, they are saying this long and hard substance is called a nail, but if this is a nail then why do we call the upper covering tip of our fingers as a nail?
It was a good question. But at that time, I was not able to answer her properly and I felt that I was giving some entrance exam question. But somehow I was lucky to escape from that question and I managed the situation too. But after doing a lot of research on her question, I found that there are many such words which sound or spell the same but their meanings are different.
Some of the examples are:
Band: It can be a musical group or a band of the ring.
Bark: The outer layer of the tree or the sound of the dog.
Current: A body of water or air moving in one direction; belonging to the present time.
Match: A stick from the matchbox or to pair some items.
Such words are called Homonyms. Homonyms are two or more words which have the same spelling or pronunciation but have different meanings. There are a lot of words that are homonyms. After my first baby’s question now I am confident that I can easily answer my second baby if she will ask me the same question. I am assuming many of you might have come across such a scenario where your kids might have asked you such questions. I would really love to hear about your experiences. What did you feel when your kids asked you such strange questions? And what did you reply?
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. #asktheexpert my new born baby boy weight @ birth time 2.475kg, after 7 weeks weight 2.90kg. weight gain very slow. Can u pls advise why weight gain is slow till my baby using breastfeeding milk right now.
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
1 hour ago
A. failure to thrive please. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Sarika gupta has added a new answer
1 hour ago
Q. why can't I add child details in my profile
Sarika gupta
Mom of 2 children
50 mins ago
A. Hello there ma’am please do not worry about it too much and please add in your profile aftwr login and still is you find any difficulty then you should contact first cry customers service department.
Take care
Rayan has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
58 mins ago
Q. right now I am 39 week pregnant but never feel any type of pain is it ok my due date is 5/5/24
Rayan
Mom of 2 children
20 mins ago
A. Hello mam, It's normal mam. don't worry a lot.Since your due date is near, eat healthy and sip your drinks. Keep yourself hydrated. Happy parenting and welcome new mom!!!
Indhumathy Ravikumar has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
58 mins ago
Q. #asktheexpert my newborn baby girl breast is hard n feel like lump
Indhumathy Ravikumar
Mom of 2 children
19 mins ago
A. please give gentle massage on breast before bathing.. and then squeeze the curdled milk in it.. after that keep pumping the breast from time to time.. it will cure with in two weeks..
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
43 mins ago
Q. after c section when we start physical relation?
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
33 mins ago
A. after 8 weeks or after proper healing of the wounds. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Rayan has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
39 mins ago
Q. #asktheexpert
good morning Ma'am..
My son is 4 months old. He gets stomach pain/ gas everyday at any time.. He cries for long when he gets pain.. I am giving him Colic aid everyday from last one month.. Only after giving colic aid he stops crying... what should I do to avoid his pain and medicine??
Read moreRayan
Mom of 2 children
16 mins ago
A. Hello mam! If it is due to colic pain /gas, it is common in newborns. Make sure that you burp your baby after every feed. Don't feed just before your baby is to sleep. Make a routine like feed, play and sleep. Burp inbetween feedings. Colic pain will stop automatically at 5 or 6 months. So don't worry. Happy parenting!
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