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Parenting Answers
How can I help my
children have better self-esteem? Self-esteem is a very important quality
for everyone, but very often, if it is developed in childhood and by caring
parents, children will grow into more confident adults. The rule in how to talk
to a child, to build their sense of self esteem, is really just never break it
down. If a child does something wrong, tell them how you feel about the
incident, not what they did that was bad. You can say, “It really makes me
angry when your teacher calls me and tells me your homework is not being
completed.” Using “I” statements tell them you are disappointed and mad, but
never hurt their self-esteem. On the other hand, if you said “your teacher
called me and said you are not doing your homework,” tells them they are
bad and lowers their sense of self worth. A parent can give child self-esteem in other ways as well. Just supporting what they like, even if it’s something you are not personally interested in, will help a child to know you care. For more information on better parenting contact: Sinnissippi Centers Inc
Self-efficacy is the concept that a person holds, or the idea they can do something. There is no better parent than the one who encourages their child in the interests they have. No goal should ever be discouraged. Don’t ever tell a child they can’t, but say sure you can do anything with determination and hard work! Give your child hope, and they will be the one climbing the mountains of their life dreams. For more information on better parenting contact: Sinnissippi Centers Inc
A child’s potential is never limited! If your first grader comes up to you and says I want to be a doctor, don’t say well you’re not ever going to be smart enough, or we won’t ever have that much money to send you to school! If you give a child hope, they will have confidence. If you give a child a dream, they will give you more effort. Give your child dreams to follow, and they will make the dreams of their own lives come true. Give them the encouragement, the self-efficacy, and they will surprise you! For more information on better parenting contact: Sinnissippi Centers Inc
Should I discourage my child from doing different things? A parent’s job is to help their child grow and learn. Everyone is different, and so likes different things. Where one child may excel at gymnastics, another may not be interested at all. If you don’t realize it, that’s ok. Very often, parents push their dreams, or what they want for their child, on to their children. Children need to be encouraged into the activities that they enjoy. A man who wants a child to be a football star, with a child who hates football, will have child who stands on the sidelines of the game and is miserable. Or, a mother who wants her daughter to dance in the ballet, but she wants to rap, she will just grow up to hate ballet dancing and the parent as well. Let a child live their interests and dreams, not yours through them. For more information on better parenting contact: Sinnissippi Centers Inc
Why should I encourage/praise
my children? There is a difference between praising your children and encouraging your children. You need to do both! Encouraging a child means telling them they can, never that they can’t. Praising them for what they do well is important as well. That means something saying I see a great report card here, even if the child has brought a grade up to a “C.” Many parents demand a child get A’s on their report card, and say their kid is not great unless their child gets the best grades. However, the effort is really what’s important, and that’s what needs to be praised. Albert Einstein was a very smart person who excelled at many things. But, many don’t know he failed math in elementary school. The reason was because he was so bored with math, not that he couldn’t do it. Some children learn easy in some subjects, and have a harder time in others. Let your child do what they enjoy, and ask them to do their best in other things they may not be as interested in. Getting a “C” in a subject, such as history or math they may not like, may just be a good thing. Praise the effort, and encourage the best they can do in everything, then sit back and watch success. And, it will be because you let them do what they like best and encouraged them. For more information on better parenting contact: Sinnissippi Centers Inc
Where do kids learn everything
in youth? Where do the kids learn everything in youth…from their parents? Yes! Babies grow up seeing you, watching you, and what are you doing? If you are sitting on the couch watching TV, smoking cigarettes and eating potato chips, well your kids will grow up doing the same. What you do your kid’s see you doing? If you get angry and swear at others, they will see you. If you eat too much, they will be looking at what you do. If on the other hand, a person gets angry with you, and you walk away…they will see that as well. If they see you exercising and eating good meals, they will see that as well. Look at your own life, how you are, and what you are…you are teaching your children to be just like you. Helping children grow up to be more responsible people, starts with you. For more information on better parenting contact: Sinnissippi Centers Inc
Is just listening sometimes better? Sometimes talking is a great thing for kids. Other times just listening to them…and not talking back; but, just listening is better. Giving them the head nod, or the Uhuh…May be the best thing. Just because a child asks a question, doesn’t mean they want an answer, and that’s hard for parents to understand sometimes. Let a child control the discussion, or maybe answer their own question at times. If a child asks, “Why do you need to go to work dad?” Say, “Well what do you think?” See if they are asking a question that they know the answer to, but maybe are saying, “Dad I miss you while you’re at work.” Listening is a skill that takes time to develop. Listen to what the children are really saying before you respond. For more information on better parenting contact: Sinnissippi Centers Inc
Why should I respond openly to my children? With children, the best answer is one that gives them a choice; between what they want and the right thing to do. It may be eating a cookie at the wrong time just before dinner, or having the last piece of pie. Responding openly to them, is giving them the power to make that choice, but giving them the power to make better choices given time. The more a parent is open to listening, giving a choice to their child, and not setting limits, the more success a parent will have in communication with a child as they grow. A child will be much more open to telling you they feel like having sex, smoking, drinking or etc..if they know you won’t judge them, and will give them time to make the right choice. For more information on better parenting contact: Sinnissippi Centers Inc
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