Positive parenting has become quite the catchword in recent times, but have you ever put much thought into what it actually means? Also, does it actually work when dealing with kids?
When you think of it at first, positive parenting almost sounds like lenient parenting, where every bad behavior will be tolerated. But on the contrary, positive parenting actually encourages teaching children what kind of behavior is acceptable.
Positive parenting is nothing like permissive parenting; instead, it is a parenting philosophy that helps children develop self-discipline. Parenting with positive discipline involves motivating children to follow a code of conduct, not out of fear but because they know that it is the right thing to do.
Most kids who are brought up with positive parenting tend to develop self-confidence, healthy competitiveness, as well as good friendships. Kids are not born with good or bad behavior; they just have varied needs. If you are struggling to develop good behavior in your child, here are some positive parenting tips to help your child develop discipline.
Table of Contents
Build A Connection to Gain Cooperation
Do you ever feel like you can’t get through to your child? As in, your child barely pays attention to your words and responds to them negatively.
Do you yell at your child or put him in time-out more often?
Working on your connection with your child can get your child to listen to you more easily and accept your guidance.
More importantly, the reward will be your bonding connection itself.
But how do you actually begin by connecting deeply with your child? Simply put, every interaction you have with your child will serve as a foundation for positive parenting.
As parents, you need to reconnect with your children repeatedly. Kids are a tough nut to crack if you have been away for quite some time. So start off by expressing how much they are loved and cared for.
You could do this by making them their favorite dessert, planning a park picnic, doing a favorite activity together, or even making them pick out cute handmade gifts to bring that smile to their face.
All these small efforts would take your relationship to a whole new level. In the end, it all comes down to having enough positive, loving, and affirming interactions that will help create the perfect balance in your relationship.
Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is an excellent positive parenting solution to improve your child’s behavior. Did your child pack his or her own school bag?
Did they organize their study without anyone’s assistance? Then let them know that you noticed!
It’s always easy to pinpoint and comment on bad behavior. But do not forget to give them a pat when they do a good deed.
It is important that they get more attention for good behavior than for bad behavior. Your child needs to understand which of his actions are being noticed and appreciated so that it motivates them to keep doing it.
This is not your cue to start off with a lavish reward system; rather, make small gestures to show them you appreciate them.
Tell them their gesture was special and it made you proud, or either make them a sweet treat they like, plan for the perfect secret santa gift, or play their favorite board game together.
These kinds of praises will help your child maintain a positive self-identity and also motivate them to want to live up to it.
Set boundaries
Having boundaries in your parent-child relationship is key to being successful at positive parenting. Enforcing limits often proves helpful for parents, and we remain patient and calm because we feel respected.
Children can be demanding, and you need to be mindful of what needs to be fulfilled and what shouldn’t. If your child is persistent about having extended playtime and neglects his homework, then it’s a sign for you to step in.
Make it a rule that they sit for homework first, followed by an extended period of playtime. You can also add a little extra effort and take their homework with them in the initial stage to keep them motivated.
You need to mold them into understanding what needs to be prioritized. Setting some boundaries will also make them sensitive to your needs.
If you don’t attend to them on the first call, your child will complain initially, but gradually they will learn that you need some time for yourself too.
Giving yourself equal importance in the relationship will keep you happier and help you contribute with a whole heart. After all, a happy parent will reflect his positivity, resulting in a happy child.
Lead Them By Example
Children are excellent observers and trust me, they have the superpower to grasp things faster than any scholar.
Consider them a literal copy machine who will imitate everything you do. So be mindful of any poor behavioral choices.
Your behavior is almost like normalizing that kind of behavior. It’s a tough job to be on that cliffhanger and not react, but you wouldn’t want to lose it in front of your children.
The Bible to parenting: “Practice what you preach”
If you wish your kids to behave in a certain way, then lead them by setting an example yourself. If we want them to practice respect for others, we need to show respect to the people around us.
If you wish to inculcate interest in any enriching activity, then make sure they see you doing it first.
This will be a great way to get them in the loop. Be it entertaining kids in gardening, reading books, or organizing your things, get all into it and then slowly ask them to join.
This way, you will give them a chance to make their choice.
Ending Note
Parenting is challenging. As one rightly said, we’re never ready to be parents. However, with the right direction and practices, I believe every parent can be where they want to be as parents.
Positive parenting is a great way to instigate good behavior and center kindness.
While it is effective, it’s important to understand that change does not happen overnight, so give your child enough time to adapt to the new practices. After all, you are planting the seeds of development and growth, and no tree grows overnight.
I hope you have found these positive parenting techniques informative, and if you have any questions, do let us know in the comments. If you wish to know more about positive parenting, then don’t forget to read these five positive parenting books!
Also, Read on 70+ Inspirational Barbie Quotes for Kids – Trending in 2023.
