| Parenting is a great experience of joy, laughter and | | | | that you are unwilling to do as parents. In other |
| fun as it helps one to passionately re-live and | | | | words, as a role model it is important to teach what |
| experience wonderful moments of childhood. But it is | | | | you as parents preach. |
| demanding as well and even more so with lack of | | | | Sometimes, as parents, how do you feel when you |
| certain skills. | | | | tell your child to do something which you are not |
| If parents choose to help their child with emotional | | | | doing yourself? Now just imagine for a moment how |
| development and life skills such as love, trust, | | | | the child would react knowing that you, as parents, |
| confidence, self esteem, empathy alongside their | | | | are asking them to do something that you are not |
| education, then it might be useful for the parents to | | | | doing? Because remember that you as parents are |
| continuously enhance their knowledge and skills to | | | | the source of inspiration for your child. |
| fulfil their obligation in a much more resourceful way. | | | | Would you like your child to think they can do things |
| As parents, one is seen as the immediate role model | | | | rather than see them as huge obstacles? |
| by the child. A child feels secured when their parents | | | | As parents, the way you talk, behave and act will |
| understand their feelings through the connection of | | | | have a significant influence on your child. In other |
| love which establishes trust in the child's mind. The | | | | words, you, as parents, are being emulated by your |
| child becomes more comfortable and is open to | | | | child and your child will simply like to do those things |
| express his feelings in times of discomfort. | | | | that they see you doing on a daily basis. However |
| Consequently, the child uses those lessons as a basis | | | | there are certain things that your child has to do |
| of reference to build relationships with others. | | | | which you, as parents, ought to reinforce and ensure |
| But how often do you feel, as parents, that you | | | | that they do. Therefore it is important for the parent |
| really want to enrich the lives of your child with | | | | to let the child do whatever they are passionate |
| proper nutrition/skills but you feel that you are limited | | | | about and have a real interest in. |
| in resources or just feel helpless in coping with certain | | | | Rewarding and celebrating the moments with your |
| demands or attitude of your child? | | | | child |
| Looking for ways to teach these skills to your | | | | Many parents are so engaged in their daily routines |
| children that are fun and engaging? | | | | and very often they take little things for granted and |
| The reason could well be literacy skills. However, | | | | even forget to reward a small action. It is important |
| reading a good book passively on life skills and | | | | to note that these little things make a huge |
| emotional development is just potential knowledge. | | | | difference to a child. In other words, when a child |
| Applying these skills to deal with challenging situations | | | | takes action and does well, it is paramount to reward |
| with children is what counts. For example a child's | | | | the child as it motivates the child and make him/her |
| misbehavior may be addressed by making them | | | | feel important and confident too to take more action |
| aware of the consequences without the parents | | | | next time. This small reward starts building a good |
| being too harsh or negative. But if parents are neither | | | | metaphor in the mind of the child that every time he |
| reading any book nor willing to make a mental shift | | | | does something well, he will get a treat or a word of |
| to acquire more skills, then the likelihood of giving | | | | encouragement. It is the small or little things done on |
| some of the life basic learning skills could be | | | | a consistent basis daily turn out to become a big |
| challenging at the early formative stage to their child. | | | | thing. |
| As a result, Kidz4Mation has created a series of | | | | We as parents are human beings after all and not |
| developmental resources in the form of easy to | | | | human doing and deep inside we are children. As a |
| follow children's books which may be easily read by | | | | result, as parents, we have to motivate ourselves |
| parents to their child. The books can help teach core | | | | and then take care and motivate our children and |
| values and skills in helping to raise happy, positive, | | | | encourage them to be self reliant and take their |
| well-balanced, well-rounded and successful children. | | | | decision within limit. We, as parents, should not be |
| These picture books include notes for parents and | | | | over protective or too possessive nor too much in |
| children respectively to develop the theme or skill in | | | | control over them. |
| discussion. | | | | At this point, it is good to know that learning to |
| In addition the following skills could be useful tips to | | | | change ourselves, as parents, and taking charge of |
| make parenting easier for parents:- | | | | our lives and managing our emotions will help us to be |
| Availability - Gift of time is biggest gift parents can | | | | more resourceful to manage our children and have a |
| give a child because a child wants time and love not | | | | great relationship with them. |
| money from their parents. | | | | Self-reliance |
| Acceptance - This requires great courage from | | | | While nurturing a child, it is helpful that you, as |
| parents but accepting the children as they are can | | | | parents, make your child become self-reliant from an |
| help you, as parents, in keeping them happy. How | | | | early age and instill in him all the virtues through the |
| important is it for parents to put child needs ahead | | | | consistent effort of habits creation on a daily basis. |
| of theirs and therefore learning to be selfless | | | | This will enable the child to start shaping his |
| parents? | | | | personality traits and lead to build and have his own |
| Appreciation - This is something that everyone | | | | identity. This will also gradually help him to realize |
| craves for. All human beings want approval. It is very | | | | what they really like to do. Obviously all these are |
| important for you as a parent to appreciate children | | | | possibly easier to achieve through constant support |
| publicly and criticise privately. Children often | | | | from parents and a lot of patience and perseverance |
| misbehave because they want attention from their | | | | is required from parents to hand hold the child. |
| parents. Parents have to be assertive within limits, | | | | In other words, self reliance will lead to make the |
| and ensure that the appreciation is appreciated! | | | | child become independent from early childhood and |
| Like to develop more gratefulness in your children? | | | | he will probably be in a good position as adult where |
| Teaching what we preach | | | | he will probably be better equipped to take |
| Parents would always want to do the right thing for | | | | responsibility. As the saying goes, "it is better to |
| their children. However, there are things that parents | | | | teach a child how to catch a fish, instead of giving |
| do not do as a result of procrastination or | | | | him a fish'. This is a basic philosophy that teaches the |
| indifference. But parents would love their children to | | | | child how to manage on his own as he grows and |
| develop good habits. But most of the times it is | | | | also for the rest of his life whereas by just giving a |
| challenging to get certain children to do certain things | | | | fish, he will not be able to survive on his own. |