Only someone who has never attempted raising a child can say that parenting is easy. In fact, when most people first have their children, one of the things that strike them is just how much their own parents went through for them.
Parenting is also a journey that never ends, and we learn every day. As such, regardless of what stage you’re in or how old your children are, there’s always something you can start doing to improve your parenting and I’ll be sharing with you a few I’ve learnt.
- Arrange after-school activities for them that do not include TV. Fun quizzes and spelling bees with delightful prices to win, musical instruments to play (toy or real), books to read, and outdoor games will benefit your child more than sitting in front of the TV all afternoon.
- Get them involved in your business. Depending on the age of the child, come up with a plan to teach them how money is made. Help them understand how your business works, what goods and services you provide, how you equip yourself to satisfy clients, etc. Schools do not teach everything. In fact, they teach very little of the things that will actually help your child in life.
- Make healthy treats for them. In nearly all the popular snacks and drinks around, there’s an insane amount of sugar and empty calories, and this does our kids more harm than good. What can we do? Keep fresh fruits within their reach so they imbibe the habit of taking and eating them by themselves. Make fresh fruit juice and smoothies for them. Get nuts for them to snack on, and veggies like garden egg, carrots, cucumber, etc. The earlier we start this, the better for our kids.
- Get them exercising early. It may be dancing, swimming, running, or something as simple as taking a walk or kicking a ball around, but fit children usually grow up to be fit adults. Start equipping them to shun a sedentary lifestyle now.
- Feed them spiritually. The most important thing you can do for your child is to ground them spiritually. Teach them to love God and others, to share what they have, to speak kindly, to forgive, and to tolerate. Model for them the joy of a selfless life. Get them books that will help them grow spiritually. At the end of the day there’s only so much we can do for our children, so we must ensure that they have a relationship with God and can stand firm in Him even when we are not with them.
What other tips do you think can help us parent better? Do share.