10 Simple Rules For Good Parents

Being a good parent is simple. Seriously. Sometimes, it doesn’t even require doing anything. All you need to do is stop making your child do silly things. Invest your energy in more pleasant and important events in your little one’s life.

Remember, your child is not only YOUR child but also an independent little person. AdmiGram.com will tell you how much unnecessary effort parents put into the most foolish things in child rearing. Just scratch all of that from your life, and your kids will be happy.

10 simple rules for good parents

Don’t make your child lie

Lying is not good, even about trivial matters. “Tell grandma that I have a headache.” It all starts with this. If your child treats lying as something ordinary and lies to other people, sooner or later, they will lie to you too. And their acting skills will improve with age.

Don’t force your child to finish their food when they don’t want to

Yes, there are norms recommended by pediatricians for feeding children. But these norms do not include yelling, “Eat, I told you!” and shoving a spoonful of porridge into your child’s mouth.

Don’t put your child on a diet

The other extreme is restricting your child’s food intake simply because you think they’re overweight or they actually are. It’s better to spend an extra hour playing an active game outdoors with them than to spend all that time telling them why those candies or ice cream are bad for them. The benefits will be much greater.

Don’t make your child change their habits

It doesn’t matter whether it’s giving up the bottle, sleeping in their own bed, or stopping carrying a toy around. For a child to change, they must “mature.” Transitions from old to new should be smooth and gradual.

Don’t make your child apologize for no reason

“Apologize immediately!” — This is the most popular phrase on any playground. And someone’s little one obediently complies, having no idea what they’re apologizing for and why it’s even necessary. Apologies become nothing more than obligatory but incomprehensible rituals devoid of kindness, tact, or genuine remorse. So, before demanding apologies, take a moment to briefly explain to your child why they need to apologize in the first place.

Don’t make your child be who they’re not

If your child, for example, is shy, then accept and embrace it. Don’t force them to be (or appear) outgoing, as it can break their character and nurture feelings of inadequacy. The same goes for overly active, restless, or noisy children.

Don’t force your child to be friends with someone they don’t like

Even if you’re the best of friends in the world, it doesn’t mean your own children have to be friends. Be friends yourself, go shopping and to salons together, grab coffee, but let your child be friends with whomever they want. It’s worse when you force your child to endure teasing, toy-breaking, or hair-pulling just because you don’t want to argue with your friend.

Don’t force your child to greet strangers

Your child’s world is small but fascinating to them alone. They have no idea who all these people are — your friends, relatives, or neighbors. Give them time to adjust and realize that our world is much bigger than they think. And only then, explain to them why they should greet that person you’re talking to.

Don’t make your child stay with someone they don’t want to

Sure, sometimes parents just need to have a free evening, but instead of taking the child to grandma’s or grandpa’s, it’s better to ask them to spend the night at your place. All children feel terrible discomfort in a foreign place. By taking them somewhere else, children begin to feel unwanted and abandoned.

Don’t make your child do something they’re bad at

Endless failures will instill a sense of failure in your child. Conversely, even the smallest successes will inspire them to further achievements and hard work. It’s better to be a good handball player than a bad football player, even if one sport is much more prestigious than the other. Raise a winner, not a loser.

image on top: Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash