5 POWERFUL PARENTING TECHNIQUES YOU CAN USE FOR 2021
Written by Feba Maryann
2020 has been a really tough year for all of us, but it is during tough times that resilience really pays off. Parenting is never easy, even more so in 2020. Even if you were able to spend quality time with your child, the global pandemic issue drained us, emotionally and physically. However, you cannot let these factors weigh in on your performance as a parent. You don’t have to be perfect but you have to be at the top of your game at all times.
Parenting is about being a guide to your child, being a pillar of support when they need you. It is not about achieving perfection but more about striving for it. It’s a constant struggle through which you constantly evolve and learn. Let us now look at some powerful parenting techniques.
- Quality Over Quantity
Given the global pandemic situation, you probably must’ve spent most of your time at home. So, it is easy to think that you have been giving your child enough attention just because of the amount of time you spent around them. But have you actually given them a hundred percent undivided attention to your child or were you distracted? Were you trying to finish some work while they were around? Were you preoccupied with some thought about work or the chores?
Find at least 10 to 30 minutes each day to spend with your child. Avoid all distractions and give your undivided attention to your child. Forget about the laundry, or doing the dishes, just focus on your child during that time.
2. Don’t Resort To Physical Punishment
When your child constantly keeps making mischief, you may be tempted to correct these using a good ol’ dose of spanking. Why not, after all our parents brought us up with stricter rules and plenty of caning, and we grew up to be alright, right? Wrong! Gone are the days when parents were seen as authoritative figures who control and punish their children for misbehaviour.
Kids may display disorderly conduct due to a number of reasons. It is crucial that we identify these reasons correctly. The reason may help identify any underlying health condition your child may be suffering from.
Spanking may show a short-term improvement in your child’s behaviour, but this method never teaches your child right from wrong. Your child is taught to fear not to correct, so then your child will focus on not getting caught instead of correcting their behaviour.
3. Get Help And Practice Self-Care
Raising a child isn’t an easy task, kids can be annoying and get on your nerves and make you feel like you’ll explode any second. If you find yourself getting close to this state, do not hesitate to get help. Find someone to babysit your child and take a break. Take a stroll in the park, watch a movie or do whatever you feel like, you deserve it.
Having a child around often means you’ll have no time to take care of yourself. But to keep your sanity you’ll have to figure something out. Yoga or other aerobic exercises help calm your mind and refresh your body. Getting a good sleep is also more important than you may think. Try to sleep for at least 8 hours a day. And also stay hydrated.
4. Be Consistent With Routines And Rules
You must’ve heard that change is the only constant factor in life and how you need to embrace change. Well, throw that little piece of advice out of the window while raising kids. For kids consistency and maintaining the same routines is key.
If your child breaks a rule, be firm and let them face the consequences of what follows, do not give them second chances. Children are likely to push the boundaries and limits that you set and that is normal too. But it is important that you keep them in check.
5. Controlling Screen Time
The overall usage of electronic media has steeply increased, especially with the global pandemic situation. It can be tough to control your child’s screen time. But it is important that you come up with strict screen time rules and enforce them to prevent over usage.
Unchecked screen time in children has been known to create problems like obesity, irregular sleep and many more when they grow up. Check what content your child is consuming while using electronic media. Allocate a slot of time for passive screen time and ensure that you don’t let your child use electronic media on their own.