Caring Fathers
In this blog, I will outline eight ways of being an effective parent. I am aware that these do not exhaust the list of being an effective parent. He and she can be used interchangeably in the following.
How to be an Effective Parent
- Pay attention and listen to your child, and let him know that you, the parent, have heard him say what the issue is. For example, if the child is hungry, tired, wants to play, or wants to do something else.
- Encourage your child to learn through exploring and experimenting with your support, as long as there is no danger to the child. Examples of such activities include painting, playing with puzzles, and helping with small household chores.
- Always try to show the child unconditional love so that he will always be cared for by the parent. For example, if the child refuses to go to school, encourage him to do so with the understanding that this would eventually help him. Avoid punishment as far as possible, especially because physical punishment is illegal.
- Teach him accountability. This means that you will explain to him which behaviours are unacceptable so that they will not be repeated.
- Work at boosting his self-esteem by allowing and encouraging him to try new things, by giving him praise for his accomplishments, whether these are small or larger. For example, making new shapes with magnetic blocks can be a small accomplishment.
- Always remember to praise a child for his efforts as well.
- Try to be consistent in using realistic boundaries that you create for him. You may need to set such boundaries with screen time, play time and bath/bed time
- Strive to be flexible with your parenting skills and be willing to listen and learn new ways as the child advances in years. Respect should be an integral part of your interactions with your child, because this will serve to boost both self-esteem and self-worth