5 Habits You Should Embrace As A Parent

Parenting is one of the hardest jobs you’ll face – and it doesn’t come with any type of guidebook. Whether you’re a new parent or existing parent, recognising the habits you develop and embracing some and reversing others is one step you can take to become the best version of yourself for your children. Here are just a few habits you should try to embrace as you navigate parenthood.

Get serious about your routines.

Kids thrive with routines, and so can parents when they set routines and stick to them. Setting clear routines for busy times like getting ready for school in the morning, preparing for mealtimes, or settling down for bed can create more orderly environments. While routines can be hard for everyone to follow initially, once you repeat these routines day after day, they will become habits that help everything run smoother during stressful points of the day.

Allow your kids to face challenges.

We’ve all been there – your toddler is struggling to put their jacket on or your teen isn’t getting a homework question right, so you just go ahead and do it for them. While sometimes doing things on your own is just more efficient, when possible, try to slow things down and provide extra guidance when your children face these situations. Taking this extra time and care is crucial for your child’s growth and development, because it teaches them how to be more independent.

Speak positively about yourself.

We have all had those days where we look in the mirror and pick apart the way we look, or we make a mistake and say something overly critical about ourselves. Not only does this habit take a toll on your own mental health, but when little ones are around, they can pick up on this behaviour too which impacts their self esteem.

But since it’s not always easy to always refrain from these comments, if you notice yourself blurt something out in front of your kids, or even alone, try to make it a habit to follow it up with something nice about yourself.

Stick to your promises no matter how small.

Whether you promised to take him to a friend’s house on Friday or you promised that you would read her two books instead of one tonight, parents should try their best to uphold their promises. Even though some of these small promises may seem unimportant to you, they could mean the world to your child.

When you follow through with these promises, it communicates to your child that they can rely on you and makes them feel appreciated. Reversing habits like promising things when you don’t mean it can create an overall better relationship with your child.

Once you make a conscious effort to implement some of these habits into your parenting style, you can benefit both yourself and your children and make parenting just a bit less tough. While they may not be your initial reaction or method, the more you carry out these patterns, the more they will come more naturally.

Tags: Parent's Corner