What Is Effective Parenting?

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men” is said by Frederick Douglas, Abolitionist and Statesmen. Children are future adults of the country and need to be guided well in order to build a better society and nation. Parents play a huge role in the grooming process and have to be careful in their approach towards handling children.

Children are highly sensitive and impressionable beings and that is why it is important to have an effective parenting strategy involving some amount of time, effort and care.

Effective parenting means to draw a balance between being too lenient and too controlling. It is about giving personal space to the child but at the same time laying down reasonable restrictions or boundaries so that the child does not become reckless and careless.

It is about aiming for the holistic development of the child where the child must be encouraged to take part in extra-curricular activities such as sports or gymnastics or art along with academic pursuits.

It is also about understanding where the child’s talents lie and by providing facilities and encouragement to grow in those areas. It is about making them independent and self reliant in life so that they are capable of making their own decisions and are able to take risks to achieve their dreams.

Effective parenting is also about teaching children life lessons necessary for their survival. For example, parents must tell their children that failures are a part of life and not to be disappointed when they fail.

Further, they must be told to learn from their failures, evolve and not give up. This sort of attitude if inculcated in children at an early age will lead them to become successful in life.

Being successful is not everything and if a child is taught only to aim at success, then he will become very self centered and materialistic. Therefore, parents must instill certain good values in their children in the form of kindness, benevolence and politeness towards others.

They must not become full of themselves and behave like they are the center of attention. At the same time, they must be also taught to be brave, assertive and to stand up against something unfair happening to them.

Further, parents should create a space for children where they are able to freely communicate their needs or their share their experiences (good or bad) with them. They must not be held back because of fear.

It is also necessary for parents to discipline their children for their well being. Otherwise, children can take things for granted and become careless and reckless.

But parents must not excessively control their children and punish them harshly in the name of discipline. Simple set of rules and laying boundaries will be enough. For example, a child should be allowed to play video games but there should be a limit to the number of hours or days for which he/she can play so that he/she does neglect his priorities.

Parents are role models for children and children tend to follow their parents actions. Therefore, parents must set examples for their children through their deeds and should follow what they preach.

Further, parents should make it a point to take out sometime from their busy schedule to spend time with their children on a daily basis. This can be done by eating meals together with the child or going for a walk with the child after dinner. This will benefit the child positively and leads to his/her growth.