Overcoming the Usual Parenting Mistakes

Parenting could have been an easy job for any parent if the children come to this world with an owner's manual? Unfortunately, there are none. The children are full of energy and eager to test their parent's limits many times. Here are few mistakes parents can make and as a parent, you should avoid them.

Not being Consistent:

Always be consistent in your discipline. Make a flexible timetable for our children. They do best when they know what to expect, whether it's what time they bathe or go to bed or study and what consequences they will face for misbehaving. The more consistent and predictable things are, the more resilient and agreeable a child is likely to be. Keep a routine for your child as much as you can. Ensure that both the parents sit and discuss issues such as what to do if your child dumps food on the floor or ignores bedtime? Decide on an appropriate response and stick with it. Please don't give your child mixed messages by being inconsistent in your actions as it will confuse them. Both the parent should discuss and agree on the course of action and act as a team

Focusing too much or too little on Family Time:

It's delightful to spend time with the whole family. But some parents go overboard on family time. Sometimes they don't bother to give enough attention to family time. Your child should be given one-on-one time with each parent. Find time to play with the children.

Don't be overenthusiastic:

Don't be a watchdog for your child's activities. Nowadays, four eyes are following just one child as most families have one or two children. Therefore, the parents tend to give their complete focus on their children. Never be a helicopter parent and ensure that you give your child the required freedom and develop mutual trust.

Not encouraging to taking responsibilities:

Some parents spoil the child by offering too much help or do things for them. Please be aware that if you over help your child complete a puzzle or put on a dress, take class timetable, you may be sending the message that he/she can't do it alone - in other words, that the child is incompetent. "Parents who offer too much help may hinder their young children's ability to become self-reliant and it will affect his/her self-esteem. You need to teach children to tolerate struggle and develop patience. Tried to be an encouraging parent by saying to them, you can do this. Allow them to seek help when they are stuck by building confidence in them.

Setting unrealistic goals:

Many parents tend to set unrealistic goals for their children. Sometimes they use their children's achievements to get credit in their social groups or in front of relatives or friends. Before setting goals, you must see how realistically possible for your child to achieve them. Your expectations should not put too much burden on your children. You should also help them to develop a workable plan to achieve these goals. Ensure that you are a supportive and caring parent.

Talking too much:

Many parents think that talking too much to a child is helpful in disciplining him/her. However, this will create more frustration for both parents and children. Kids are not able to process all the information or advise you give them at one time. Their attention span is very low. Talking too much can also lead to a lengthy argument and lead to unpleasant events most of the time. The smart way to lay down the law once you tell your toddler to do something is don't talk about it too much. If the child disobeys, give a brief verbal warning. If the child refuses to obey, give a time-out or another immediate consequence. Do not explain too much as it won't help.

Only kiddy food:

Does your toddler seem to eat nothing but chicken fingers and fries, burgers or nuggets? Are they fuzzy with a type of fish or vegetables they eat? Remember, your child requires a balanced diet, especially during their development stages. You should encourage your child to eat healthy meals. If they push back, keep putting it on their plate. Some kids need to try things a dozen or more times before they take to it. But don't worry too much if your child is a picky eater, as most of the children are. Most of the kids love the fight over food. If we make a fuss about it, it becomes a much bigger deal than it needs to be. Please do not allow yourself to become your child's short-order cook.

Not allowing sleeping alone:

Most moms take additional responsibility to lie down with their child every night to make their child sleep. They don't realize they're the ones who set the pattern. Make their bed and encourage them to sleep alone. You can give them a storybook or picture book. Provide a dim bedroom light if required. Encourage that they say a small prayer before going to sleep and soon after getting up.

Allowing too much screen time:

Children who watch lots of TV and spend time on computers in the early years often have more trouble learning later on. Studies suggest that kids under the age of 2 can't really take in what's being displayed on TV and computer screens. Keep your children busy with reading and other more creative activities. Have conversations and encourage talking as well as listening. The longer you can make your child stay away from TV and other gadgets, the better.

Taking things too seriously:

Some parents worry too much that an out-of-control child makes them seem like bad parents. Most of the children have tantrums and it is pointless to react to it, even if the drama is happening in a public place. We think that when we are in public and dealing with a child, we feel judged as incompetent parents." You must remember that the child matters more than the opinions of other people.

If people glare or offer unwanted advice, smile at them and try to walk away with your child. Ensure that you confront it with the child as soon as you both are alone and provide help to handle such tantrums so that the child understands his/her mistake and will handle similar feelings more effectively in the future.