Raising a child is a serious responsibility, one that cannot be dispensed with at all. And being a parent, I am aware of that fact that all parents are seriously concerned whether they would be able to raise their children correctly or not. Over the time, kids can develop a lot of bad habits and although it is hard to rid them of their habits, you can devise a set of strategies that can help you make your kids stop falling into these bad habits. For the sake of your ease, I have made a short list. Check all the items off of it and your parenting 101 is done!
- Educate Them
Whether your kid is of age or not, it is hard to force him/her to change the bad habit. Nothing comes out right if you force the kid and sometimes, it even tends to backfire. I am sure that is not the results you seek. If you want your child to not do something that harmful to their person or personality, educate them about it. Let them understand the concept of right and wrong and how they hold the power to make a choice but they should always make the right choice.
- Ignore The Act
Sometimes, we tend to scold the kids a lot about their bad habits. To my surprise, I was told that it can have a detrimental effect on the child instead. You should try avoiding your kid’s act if you think they are doing it mindlessly. For example, if your kid bites his nails all the time, try not to scold him about it all the time because it is not good for your child’s mental health either.
- Set Some Rules
I believe that it is impossible to run a house without rules. There should always be some rules in the house, such as no WiFi past 9 PM. I have set this rule because if the internet is available, kids tend to stay up and surf all night. So if my kids have to study, they better study in the afternoon or early in the morning. Such rule help maintain the discipline of the house and they also help kids develop good habits which might seem like a restriction at the start by then it proves useful.
- Reward Them
If you have come to observe that kids are adhering to the rules and quitting their bad habits, you should acknowledge this and commend their good behavior with praise. It does not work if you don’t acknowledge their good behavior and do not appreciate them for the good work that they have done by restraining themselves from doing something bad habitually. I always reward my kids in both material form by getting them a present form and emotionally.
- Love Them
Most of the time, kids develop bad habits because they are not used to being heard by their parents. They do not get the due value and attention that they crave and demand so the outlets are mostly the bad habits. If you love your kids and express this love, most of their insecurities will be washed away because they would know that they are loved by their parents unconditionally. Accept your kids as their individual self and do not try to shape their personality too much according to yourself, let them remain their individual selves.
And I hope that with these tips you would be able to keep your kids’ miles away from adopting any bad habit. Good luck!
Author Bio:
Currently a student of English Literature, in his final years, James Martin is passionate about writing his thoughts into words. He takes up writing projects in his leisure time to accompany his studies. Generally, understands the essence of writing on every topic, but especially those that relate to his field.