There is no such thing as a perfect parent, and we all have room for improvement, no matter how advanced we think we are. If you are a parent, then you know this all too well.
Children are not as simple as many people make them out to be. They need much more enrichment than you might assume. Kids in this day and age are not brought up the ways the people of the past have been, and that is something we all need to come to terms with. However, if you’re not doing the following things maybe you should consider them.
Below, I am going to go over some of the things parents should do that most don’t seem to bother with. Some of these are tips from people who are prominent in the world of psychology, and others are things that I have noticed throughout the years. The more you think them through, the more I am sure you will agree that they are much more important than we tend to think.
8 Things Not All Parents Do But Should:
1. Have dinner together at least once a week (if not daily).
Having dinner together is a way to bring the family together. While you might not be able to have every meal together in this day and age regardless of your schedule, you should be able to pull one meal together a week (the more, the better). While dinner is ideal if you work the night shift, then perhaps breakfast would be a better option sometimes.
2. Establish screen-free times of the day.
There should be points during the day where the kids, as well as parents, are not looking at any kind of screen. The TVs are off, and cell phones are put away. Everyone is spending time doing things, either together or separately, that do not have to do with electronics.
3. Make sure they spend time outside playing.
Don’t be afraid of letting your kids outside to get dirty. Let them go outside and be kids. Spending all their time cooped up inside watching TV isn’t good for them. They need nature, let them have it.
4. Teach them to speak for themselves.
Don’t speak for your children all the time. Sure, sometimes they might be too nervous, and you may have to but as frequently as possible let them speak. If someone asks them their name let them respond, this helps them to prepare for the times you are no longer by their side.
5. Make sure they know the world does not revolve around them.
Don’t overly spoil your kids. Sure, you can give them all of the things you didn’t have and more, but you don’t have to make them think they are better than other people. Teach them compassion and make them aware that sometimes they just can’t have things their way.
6. Let them choose their own interests within reason.
Let them be themselves, don’t force them to be who you want them to be. Let your kids pick the sports they play, or if they play sports at all. Don’t cherry-pick parts of their lives and make them into someone you can live through.
7. Let them make their own mistakes sometimes.
Don’t redo everything your kids are doing. Let them make their own mistakes. Sometimes you won’t be there to hover over them and make things right. They need to learn things for themselves.
8. Let them feel the uncomfortable emotions as well as the good ones.
Sure, it might suck when your kids are upset, but these uncomfortable emotions are not something anyone can avoid. They need to learn how to process them before they are out in the real world. Don’t refuse to let them feel the things they should be feeling. Life is tough.