You are excited about the new addition to your family and you cannot wait to have a very happy and healthy year ahead! Parenting as many have described is an experience and journey where both the child and the parents learn something new every single day. Such a journey ought to be treasured every moment and every day should be made memorable. After all, your little one - the perfect combination of both partners - is growing and learning every day. To take it the extra mile, there are a few small habits and things you can start this new year that can make this journey even more enjoyable and smooth for both the child and parents. So here are some parenting tips to embrace in this new year!
- Create quality time
When we say quality time in parenting, it refers to four kinds of quality time - mother and child, father and child, family and couple. Yes, all four are important components in this journey. While the others are obvious, the couple's time can raise a few eyebrows. However, it’s important to remember that parenting is a shared experience, something for which you have to be your best self along with being the best team. And to be the best team and be on the same page, you and your partner should schedule some quality time together. Babies benefit from harmonious environments and happy homes, and this is one step in the right direction. When you communicate more with your baby, both as a family and as an individual parent, your baby picks up more skills and grows up healthy - both physically and mentally. So setting time apart for mealtime, storybook reading, playing and more is extremely important. Don't let the juggle between the office and household chores stress you out. Instead, make daily activities like mealtime a fun time with MamyPoko's mealtime video. This will help in spending quality time with your baby.
- Set good examples for your child
Most kids will do and say as they see and not as much as they are told. Thus it is important to set the right examples for your children. Think about how you want them to grow up and what kind of people you want them to become - inculcate these habits in yourself and watch in wonder as your child picks up the same good habits. From being kind, caring about Nature, being organised to being truthful or respectful - these are qualities that you can embrace in your everyday life so your children emulate the same. However, we understand that as adults in busy lives, it may not always be possible to be on your best behaviour. Take this opportunity to also teach your kids the importance of reflecting on one’s behaviour and rectifying any mistakes. If possible, take unpleasant discussions outside the home or keep it confined to your rooms and not the kids’ rooms. If they do overhear or see anything negative, it’s a good idea to sit down with them, explain the situation and reassure them that even grown-ups can make mistakes but remorse is what makes us human.
- Encourage mental and physical activities
It’s very important to promote good health in children- both physical and mental. Especially in today’s world, where everyone is home, it’s crucial that you teach them the skills and games they would have otherwise picked up at school or in the neighbourhood. Make time for the family to play games together, that boost the physical and mental growth of the children. These are also important as they teach the kids basic social skills. Reduce screen time and encourage them to explore their surroundings and learn something new every day.
- Don’t be afraid to discipline the kids
In any given generation, one priority of parenting remains bringing up grateful and well-rounded children, who are not rude or insolent. To ensure the same, it may be necessary to introduce a little discipline in their lives. You can choose creative ways of making them understand boundaries and behaviour and what is appropriate. If your kids are a little older, often having an open conversation can help them understand why certain things are encouraged and others are not. For younger kids, you can try to praise and reproach to approve or disapprove of their habits or behaviour. It’s important to set these boundaries early on, so they understand that certain behaviours or habits will not be accepted in the household.
- Be flexible about parenting - both for your child and yourself
Nobody in this world is perfect and there’s no single mould for being the perfect parent, that fits everyone. Like we mentioned, it is both an experience and a journey that has to be learnt in time. Being flexible and allowing yourself to learn from your mistakes or adjusting parenting styles to suit your children, will not only make life easier but also bring much joy to the family. As new parents, you are always overworked or exhausted so remind yourself to take breaks. Similarly, remember that children don’t function or think like us, so if they are averse to certain foods or afraid of something, it’s best not to fix things at once. Give it some time, and both you and your child will be more open to new things in due course of time. It’s important to teach kids the values you believe in and the lessons you feel will help them face life better.
- Shower them with love
While many of us are already doing it, it’s good to remember that babies don’t speak the same language as us. So shower them with love in a way that they understand - whether through extra playtime, quality time or even hugs and kisses. Your child will feel safer knowing and understanding unconditional love from the parents. Reassurance of love in these times is also important as many of us tend to get busy in our own lives and before long, the kids are all grown up. As they say, these are the golden years that you will cherish forever, so make these moments memorable. Capture moments and celebrate every milestone because soon enough your children will be independent little beings who will take on life, with all that you have taught them in these years. The more memories you make with the family, the more you have to look back on and smile about.
What are your parenting resolutions or tips for this new year? Share with us in the comments below!
