Positive Parenting All Year Round

Many of us make New Year’s resolutions about health, work, relationships and more. If you are a parent, perhaps you made a resolution or two to strive to be a “better” parent.However, no matter how many resolutions we may make, the fact is no one is a perfect parent. Everyone has times when they feel parental stress and frustration with how their child is acting. But Positive Parenting can help relieve and prevent some of that stress and frustration.

Your Special Family

Every family has their own traditions, values, customs and habits. There isn’t one “right way” to raise your child. You get to decide the values, skills and behaviors you want to encourage and discourage and what approaches you want to take.But while no two families are exactly the same, all families can use some practical tips about child rearing – from the importance of reading to your child from the time they are an infant, to talking with them to increase their vocabulary and develop a strong open relationship, to giving them age appropriate opportunities to explore the world around them.

Positive Parenting

You want to be the best parent you can and you know parenting is important work. But most of us are unprepared for “parenting careers.” We learn sometimes by trial and error while our child continues to surprise us with new challenges. Parents can feel distressed and drained if, for example, every day there is a new battle about bedtime.Positive Parenting can help parents deal with frustration, exhaustion or anger that every parent experiences. It provides strategies for parents to give children encouragement and attention and learn good communication skills. Parents and their children form positive and loving relationships and parents get help to avoid some behavior problems.

The Basics

Positive Parenting programs involve some key steps, such as these below.Create a safe, interesting environment

• Infants: If your baby starts grabbing something unsafe, trade it for a safe toy and put them where they can’t reach unsafe items.

• Toddlers: Take a field trip to the park or even around the block. Encourage safe and even messy activities like jumping puddles.

• Pre-schoolers and Early Elementary School: Children love to help parents at this stage. Give them “safe” chores like sorting laundry.

Positive learning environments

• Infants: Sing and play music. It not only helps develop a love of music, but is also good for brain development.

• Toddlers: Encourage pretend play. Old clothes, scarves, pots and just about any safe item can become an exciting pretend adventure.

• Pre-schoolers and Early Elementary School: Encourage your child to solve problems. Having trouble sharing with a friend? Ask for their ideas of how to fairly share – take turns with a timer, create a game together, etc.

Assertive discipline

• Toddlers: Be clear about rules. Be patient. Give guidance. Notice the positive more than the negative.
  • We use our “inside voice” in the library.
  • I appreciate it when you put your toy away on your own. You are getting so grown up!

• Pre-schoolers and Early Elementary School: Use discipline to help guide and protect your child, not punish them or make them feel bad or guilty.
  • Can’t decide what outfit to wear and it takes a very long time to get ready? Then, no time for the park today. Explain not only what went wrong and the consequence, but also what they can do next time instead. How about putting out clothes the night before?

Have realistic expectations

• Infants: Don’t expect your baby to sleep through the night and if they do, it’s not necessarily a pattern. If you can, nap when your baby does during the day to catch up on sleep – dishes can wait!

• Toddlers: Many toddlers are fussy eaters. It’s frustrating, but try to avoid meal times being conflict times.
  • Offer healthy foods choices so your child can pick what they want.
  • Try new foods more than once. What might not work one day, could work another.

• Pre-schoolers and Early Elementary School: Set achievable goals.
  • The probably won’t put away all their toys, but they can put away some.
  • Be creative. Can they pick up one toy Monday, two Tuesday, three Wednesday, etc. Saturday can be a day off for celebration! Give support when they meet goals.

Take care of yourself as a parent

• It may be ten minutes, an hour or an evening, but do something for you every day.

• Put in your ear buds and listen to music or a podcast.

• Text a friend with a big screaming emoji if you are frustrated. She might have just the right words of wisdom or a good joke.

• Arrange a date night with your spouse or friend. Try not to spend the whole time talking about your child.

A Thriving Family

No matter what your values or background, getting support and tips for raising your child can be invaluable. The Positive Parenting approach can help your child and you thrive now and in the future. Programs like Triple P Positive Parenting and local parenting groups such as offered by Parenting Now!, can show you how to be positive parents! This article is brought to you by Parenting Now! Parenting Educators and authors, Tova Stabin, Claire Davis and Lynne Swartz and consultant Jay Thompson (andupdatemywebsite.com).  Parenting Now! is passionate about happy, healthy families. For more information about Parenting Now! please visit their website (https://parentingnow.org/) or contact us at info@parentingnow.org

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Triple P – Positive Parenting Program

Are you interested in receiving more parenting advice? Triple P Online – Positive Parenting Program could be for you! This online parenting program allows you to take a parenting class in the comfort of your own home, at a coffee shop, or wherever you’d like!If you are interested, submit the form below and information about next steps will be sent directly to your inbox. For more information about the program click here.[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="yes" overflow="visible"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="no" center_content="no" min_height="none"][gravityform id="1" title="true" description="true"][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]