In this post we wanted to touch on the subject of positive parenting. What is positive parenting? Well, this school of parenting is geared more to dealing with our kids in a way that shows your kids respect. It also gives a lot of consideration for their feelings as well as breaking down the meaning behind their misbehaviour. Basically, the worse your child may, feel the worse they may behave. This style of parenting, with positive parenting tips, works on trying your kids to feel respected and validated thus being better behaved for it.
We have compiled 5 positive parenting tips for you to give you some insight into this technique. Check them out –
Validate your child’s feelings
Also empathise and sympathise with their feelings and thoughts. Our children should be treated as individuals with their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Once we treat our children in this manner they are more apt to respond to your requests and explanations appropriately.
Talk to your kids not at them
Can you imagine someone towering over you and talking down to you? If I try to picture this happening I can imagine I would feel intimidated. When we talk down to our children by hovering over them they feel so intimidated that your words may not be fully registering. By coming down to your kids level then you greatly improve your chances of being heard and understood.
Make things positive
When disciplining your kids be how many times do we start a sentence with “don’t”? It seems to be our instinctual reaction to tell our kids what not to do as opposed to guiding them to what they need to do. More often than not they know what they shouldn’t do, we have told them time and time again. But what is it that they should be doing instead?
Make known what the appropriate behaviour you expect is. For example, instead of saying, “don’t throw your food” you may try “your food belongs on your plate”.
On that note …
Be clear and direct about expectations
Have you ever found yourself parenting in auto-pilot? I know you know what I’m talking about. Instead of saying, “please put your plate in the sink” we find ourselves asking our kids to “clean up”. Or we say “pick up your shoes” instead of “can you put your shoes in the cupboard”. If you observe your kids, you will see that their developing minds don’t really read between the lines. This is why we must be clear about what the expectations are and what we expect from them.
As parents we have a million and one things on our mind and somehow we expect our kids to know exactly what we mean when we say something.
Use natural consequences
Natural consequences in positive parenting include simple cause and effect. This thought process helps your kids realise that there is a consequence for everything, good and bad, and your interference doesn’t change the outcome.
For example, if your child doesn’t wear their coat they will be cold. If they walk into a puddle with their trainers they’ll get wet. And so on. Children usually feel bad or guilty when they make a mistake. If you allow these natural consequences to play out (of course, you should intervene if something will put your child in danger) your children will know first hand that they are responsible for their actions.
If you liked this post on positive parenting tips you may also like these other parenting posts from KiddyCharts and around the web!
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Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine!Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time.KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10.It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania.Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on.Get in touch TODAY!