Five Simple Parenting Resolutions

Being a better parent is a goal that can improve your life immensely.  Having a warm and nurturing relationship with your children that is based on respect will create a harmonious home environment and better equip them to grow up and face the real world with success in the coming years.  So what are some concrete goals to improve your parenting?

1.  Yell less:  Yelling seems to be the "go to" method of communicating with your child when you are frustrated.  But a better method is learning to calm yourself down into a reasonable adult and deal with the situation in a mature manner.  I know it is easier said than done, but with practice it is attainable, and you then become rational rather than a maniac in the eyes of your child.  Not a bad thing, right?

2.  Listen more:  We are becoming a culture that is incapable of listening.  If you are constantly on your phone or at your computer as your child tries to talk to you, don't be surprised when he/she does the same to you.  Put the tech down and offer up some eye to eye contact with ears open and mouth closed.

3.  Set limits:  It has been shown in countless studies that self control is key to future success in children.  So how do your children learn self control?  Not from a parent who allows anything and everything.  If you ascribe to "lazy parenting" your children will never learn self control.  You need to be in control and limit screen time, enforce a bedtime, monitor sweets and junk food, so that your children learn to control their desires and themselves for future success.

4.  Educate yourself:  Don't be the parents who uses the excuse "I didn't know!" when it comes to issues with your children.  It is your job to know what they are up to and who they are hanging with at all times. 

5.  Communicate your love:  Not through buying things, or being a push over, but through your words and actions.  Your children need to know you love them and support them no matter what- always, everywhere, end of story.  Tell them everyday, and also tell them what you specifically love about them.  They need to know, it makes a difference to a child.  You may assume they know, but they don't.  So make sure you hug them and cuddle them and tell them everyday what they mean to you.  And you will never regret it!
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