Healthy Parenting Tips to Help You Raise Your Kid Well

Having kids can be a beautiful challenge to take on. To be honest, it can be overwhelming, too. Being able to turn to others for wisdom can indeed be helpful, but you need to make sure that whatever wisdom you receive makes sense, really works, and fits in with who you are and what you desire for your children. Sometimes you can try things out, but if they aren’t working out, it’s okay to take a step back and try something new.

Below are a few healthy parenting tips that you can try out to help you raise your kids well. You may be facing various or specific challenges with your kids, and that can affect the kind of help you need. Sometimes, making simple tweaks to what you’re already doing will do the trick; at other times, you’ll need a whole new approach. At other times, it may be prudent to seek professional help.

Parenting Tips to Help You on the Way

You know your kids better than anyone else, and one helpful pointer as you think about your parenting is to learn to trust your instincts more. Of course, our instincts need to get sharpened, and it always helps to be informed, but trust that the Lord gave you those kids for a reason. Yes, you’ll make mistakes as a parent, but you can learn from them and grow in your ability to parent well.

Here are some healthy parenting tips you can implement to raise your kids well:

Leading by example

Parents sometimes fall into the trap of wanting their kids to do what they say, and not to imitate what they do. The reality is that kids learn by imitation, and so they will often pattern themselves after you and what they see you do. Parent your children well by modeling the behavior and values that you want your kids to adopt.

Practicing active listening

Your kids have their own minds, ideas, feelings, experiences, and dreams. One of the first places where they learn their value and experience the beauty of simply being listened to is in their home. Take the time to listen attentively to your children, being aware of the value of validating their feelings and experiences.

Setting clear boundaries

Whatever parenting style you subscribe to, boundaries are important to have in your parenting. Your children need to learn about their individuality and personal needs and understand that you have yours, too. Boundaries can include how you handle time, personal space, and so on. You can establish boundaries with clear consequences while being loving and nurturing.

Encouraging independence

Nurturing your kids entails preparing them to be ready to face the world on their own one day. You can do it in small steps, and there may be occasions where you decide to help them take a big leap, but it’s important to give your kids age-appropriate autonomy so that they can develop self-reliance. That can be anything from fixing their own bike, making a sandwich, or cleaning their room.

Fostering a growth mindset

Life is always going to give you lemons. Things go off the rails, and plans don’t always work out. Being able to bounce back after a setback is the stuff that makes resilience, and your children will need it as they navigate life’s ups and downs. Encourage your children to view failures as opportunities for growth and learning. Knowing how to handle setbacks is a critical life skill.

Prioritizing quality time

Life gets really busy. For any number of reasons, spending time with the kids can unintentionally take a back seat to other, seemingly more pressing and important activities like work. Building connection in any relationship, including between a parent and child, takes time and effort. Carve out and spend quality time with your children, doing activities they enjoy and that bring you into their world.

Showing physical affection

Do your children know that you love them? You could point to all the things you do for them and conclude that of course, they know. We can take for granted how impactful displays of affection like hugs, kisses, and cuddles show that we love and value someone. Never let them wonder whether you love and like them.

Practicing positive reinforcement

Just as with modeling the right behavior, it’s also important that you specifically take time to reinforce healthy behaviors. It can be easy to gloss over the right and good things your child does, but take time to notice, praise, and reward good behavior, as this can encourage positive habits.

Staying involved in their lives

Earlier, mention was made of quality time. Connection doesn’t happen overnight, and your kids can develop into people you don’t even know. They are being constantly bombarded with information and ways of thinking that are shaping who they are. Be involved in your children’s lives, showing interest in your kids’ hobbies, education, and fascinations.

Taking care of yourself

Showing love to others can sometimes be hard. For example, it’s hard to be patient with someone when you’re feeling tired or hungry. So think of it this way – loving your kids better may involve taking better care of yourself. Be sure to prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, so that you can be a better parent to your children. Exercise, sleep, and eat well, among other things.

Maintaining a healthy relationship with your partner

Remember that parenting involves a good dose of modeling healthy behaviors. One set of healthy behaviors includes how you and your partner treat each other. In how you relate to each other, you can show your children what a positive, loving relationship is like. Also, your healthy relationship will likely mean a better parenting partnership, too.

Being consistent and patient

Parenting comes with its fair share of ups and downs, and it can be positively overwhelming at times. You’re not perfect, and you’ll never be, but you can strive for displaying qualities such as being patient and consistent with your children. You can consistently be present and enforce boundaries. You can be patient with your children as they make mistakes and grow.

Learning from others

There will likely be other parents around you, and as you get to know them, you may find things to emulate and learn from them. Of course, remember that they and their children are different, and what works for them regarding how to do the nighttime routine well, for example, might not work for you. It’s important to learn the right lessons and apply them well to your situation.

Help For Parents Beyond Parenting Tips

None of us is born knowing how to be a fantastic parent. As with other skills we have, we learn them, through trial and error, until we figure it out. Parenting is a journey, and mistakes are most definitely going to happen along the way. As you parent, having a growth mindset is important, otherwise, you can get discouraged easily.

These parenting tips can help you to be well on your way to raising happy, healthy, and well-adjusted children. However, how a child grows isn’t automatic or easily predictable. These tips are meant to be pointers that show you various areas to consider investing yourself in, and ways you can help your children to grow well. These parenting tips shouldn’t be read as a to-do list, because that can likely lead to feelings of guilt about what you’ve done or left undone.

Parenting, especially gospel-centered parenting, recognizes the limits of setting rules and following certain steps. When it comes down to it, the best that a parent can do is just love their child, and demonstrate the love, patience, grace, and kindness that our heavenly Father displays toward us. That’s a high bar indeed, but what worthwhile goal was ever simple and easy to attain?

Next Steps

There is help available, whether through parenting courses, parent support groups, or by seeking professional help through a counselor or therapist. This support can provide you with insights and perspectives, and help identify areas for growth. Additionally, these various platforms can also help furnish you with practical tools to help you overcome specific areas of difficulty. Seek the help you need to be the best parent you can be. Let us help. Call our office today.