Advice For Parents
Eliminate Your Poor Parenting Practices First
Important advice for parents: stamp out all poor parenting practices immediately. One of the first things you could do to solve your parenting problems is to get to know common poor parenting practices. Why? So that you will avoid making the mistakes millions of parents are making worldwide. We won't blame you, of course, if you are guilty of some of them. Microwave ovens, TVs, dishwashers and even simple toasters are accompanied by instruction manuals. But not so babies. You were not handed a parenting manual when your child was born. But now you don't have to worry anymore. We are giving you this manual for free. Our advice is based on research in psychology. You will find all the parenting advice you need in our website to raise perfect children.
Important Advice for Parents
Wipe Out Poor Parenting Practices
1. Inconsistency
Many parents are guilty of "see-saw parenting." They discipline their children according to their moods. They ignore their children's misdemeanors on some days and come down hard on them on other days. A mother may have let her son escape scot-free for bullying his sister on Monday but spanked him for doing the same thing on Tuesday. Inconsistency is the antithesis of good parenting . It doesn't teach your children anything except that they should check the weather report (your mood) before embarking on any mischief.
2. Harsh Punishment
Harsh punishments, the trademark of authoritarian parents, can lead to children who are fearful, withdrawn and inhibited. Spanking and extended grounding are examples of harsh punishments. Some children end up rebelling. They will begin to do everything that you hate just to spite you. Advice for parents: please stop all forms of harsh punishment.
3. Excessive Praise
You may find this strange, but praising your child for every little thing is also not a good parenting practice. Your praises will have no effect on her as she will not value them anymore. We will teach you the science of praising in our other articles.
4. Excessive Rewards
If you reward your child for every good thing she does, you may be making a serious mistake. Here is an example. Your third grader loves the piano. She practices daily without even being told. One of the fastest ways of killing her love for the piano is by rewarding her at the end of her practice, perhaps by giving her her favorite chocolate or a toy. A few weeks of this and your child will believe that the only reason she practices daily is because of the rewards she gets. Her joy turns into drudgery. Love turns to hate. Advice for parents: some activities are rewards by themselves.
5. Labeling Your Child a Genius
This is another parenting advice that seems to go against common sense. When your child takes to math like duck to water or looks as if she is going to turn into the next Mozart, you may end up ruining her future by calling her a genius. If your child seriously thinks that she is a genius, she may balk at challenging tasks because she will be afraid of failing and shattering that label. We will show you how to motivate your child in our other articles. And we will also let you in on the secrets of turning your child into a genius. For now, we will just tell you that geniuses are not born; they are made. Advice for parents: you can convert your child into a genius but don't let her know she is one.
6. Losing Your Temper
Do you lose your temper when your child is naughty? It may feel good to vent your frustration on a defenceless six year old. However, it serves no purpose in the long run. Children whose parents are given to angry outbursts do not learn the all important skill of controlling their emotions and reactions. A good advice for parents: be like Buddha - cool, calm and composed.
7. Being a Hypocrite
"Don't smoke. It ruins your lungs." How seriously would a child take this advice if his father has a cigarette dangling from his mouth. It is no use admonishing a child for lying, gossiping and driving recklessly if we are guilty of the same crimes. Advice for parents: you may have been a burglar, drug addict, arsonist or kidnapper in your past, but once your children are born you have to be an impeccable role model to your kids.
8. Being Negative or Cynical
Some parents have the bad habit of commenting negatively about others. "Look at that obscenely obese woman. She should be in a circus!" "That old codger with his one foot in the grave should have his driving license revoked." "What a hideous gift your friend gave you! It must be a recycled present." "The only reason my devious mother-in-law is helping me is because she is expecting something in return. That sneaky bitch!" I guess you get the picture. Advice for parents: if you see the positive in others, your children will have a positive outlook in life. They will have better relationships with others, and as a result be happier.
9. Resorting to Authority as a Parent to Demand Obedience
Communism is almost over but tyranny is not. Parents who expect absolute obedience like Hitler will not create delighted followers. "YOU BETTER NOT BITE YOUR SISTER BECAUSE I AM YOUR DAD AND I TOLD YOU SO!" runs counter to good parenting practices. That doesn't mean that you should let your son grow up into Hannibal Lector. There are better ways of disciplining children. We will tell you how later.Advice for parents: don't invoke your authority as a parent to demand obedience unless you are practicing to become a politician.
10. Toothless Threats
"Finish your homework now or I will knock your teeth out." "If you whine one more time, I will ship you to India and you will end up becoming a beggar in Calcutta." "Stop fidgeting or I will sell you to a terrorist who will make good use of your energy." These are threats issued from the mouths of otherwise sane parents. Cross my heart, I have heard them before. Sane advice for parents: don't issue threats to your little angels (or demons) that you will never ever carry out.
This is the End of this Article.
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