Nobody said parenting would be easy. Unlike a lot of other challenges in our lives, having kids and taking responsibility for their well being can get overwhelming for any parent. Unlike some myths, an ideal parent has never existed and can never exist! But there is no reason for you to not make changes as and when to help nurture your kid in the best possible way.
Here is a list of 10 things that you must most certainly avoid if you want them to succeed.
1. Giving everything he wants
Agreeing to all your kids wants is proven to spoil them and affect their personality, leading to lower success rates in life. Giving higher value to money and materialistic things will cause him to neglect family values and virtues which are important to live a happy family life.
2. Showing off
Affluent and rich families often end up sending their kids in high profile schools in an attempt to give the best to their kids. Not all influence is bad, but parents should be more cautious and not give into their kids expensive requests because of peer pressure or societal status.
3. Emphasizing on looks
The emphasis on having fairer skin especially in girls, has been promoted very openly by the media, which has for years, influenced the masses. If you as a parent very openly discuss or promote such an attitude towards beauty, your child will grow up giving more importance to outward beauty resulting in becoming very shallow human beings.
4. Giving more attention to your baby than your husband
In the initial years of growth, this is still an acceptable behavior. But if you will constantly pacify your child’s needs and be available all the time, especially if you put your kid’s needs over your spouse’s, this is not right. You need to work as a team and understand everyone stands equal for a healthy family bond.
5. Entertaining your child all through the day
If you agree with all your kids wants, adjust your timetable according to her needs and wants, she will always take you and your time for granted. If she wants to play house, even after her playtime, you put your plans aside. Her favourite movie is on and she wants you to watch with her, even though you have watched it like a hundred times, you watch it with her. Forget any me time! This will make your child very dependent on you.
6. Giving into your child’s food preferences
You cannot force feed a child what he doesn’t like. But if you have a fussy eater, which most kids generally are, cooking only his favourites for meals is not good either. There are other techniques to get your kid to eat healthy. Cook a special menu for your kid once in a while to keep a balance instead of giving into your kid’s food desires every day.
7. Engaging kids in all sorts of extra-currcular activities
Yes, keeping your kids engaged with out of school activities and their hobbies is indeed necessary, but not the only prerequisite on your list. Don’t forget yourself and your life in the process. This is a very common habit of mothers. But there are other ways of getting your kids through this without skipping on your plans or work. Keeping yourself at second to your ‘kids needs’ teaches them the wrong message about what women are really meant to do and be.
8. Not controlling loud and rowdy behavior
Nobody likes a pushover and it is possibly one of the traits that affect the success rate in one’s life. But behaving aggressively and encouraging that behavior may not be a good decision. Teach your kids to express more skillfully without being too robust.
9. Fighting and bullying is part of growing up
If you come to know of an instance where your kid is being a bully, no matter if it is to the kid of the neighbor you dislike, stand up for what is right even if it’s against your kid. Likewise, don’t call your child a sissy if he doesn’t muster the courage to fight. These experiences are responsible for shaping up your child’s psyche. You want it directed in the right direction.
10. Down talking about your kids in front of others
Many parents often indulge in down talk especially if the kid performs poorly in school, whether as a joke with relatives or friends. Be more patient and don’t play a negative image of your kid in front of others, this usually backfires with your kid forming a negative image of you.
These habits are surely avoidable and honestly quite unnecessary. Think and act responsibly, it is your child’s beautiful future at stake!