Golden Rules of the Parenting Handbook

After a perfect holiday season, waking up for school has been a problem for most kids and a bigger problem to their moms. Arranging bag, tiffin, uniform and shoes before school and rearranging them post school is a routine that can be changed, with a few suggestions, of course! Let’s begin with a few reachable goals before we move on to the bigger picture.

1. Look where you see: Most children’s problems go unnoticed and the reason is us. Yes, we parents devote so much time and energy into the well being of the family that we unknowingly ignore what our little ones have to say. Whenever you notice your child a little silent, snappy and uncomfortable or simply not being herself, she usually has something to tell. Listen to her, know her feelings and advise her appropriately. Don’t keep it for later as it might just get too late.

2. Work together with teachers: Don’t wait for the teacher to call you or your child to show up with a bad report card. Be in regular contact with the teachers to know more about your child’s academic progress, his skills and strengths. Just as you get information from the teachers, share info with them as well. Let them know if somebody at home has been unwell for long or about a death in the family, his extracurricular activities etc. so that they too may extend help wherever needed.

3. Cultivate social skills: Being a great kid isn’t only about grades and trophies. It is also about how well he gets along with other children and adults. How he behaves plays a crucial role in his overall development. The home is the best place where every child learns his social skills from and you, are his best teachers!

• Make rules and be strict about following them. Set consequences as well.
• Set meal times and bed times to establish a routine which shall bring in stability.
• Help your child to know about expressing oneself so that he can control himself in a moment of frustration, anger or disappointment without blurting out or hurting others.
• Let your child learn about the opposite person’s perspective and what that person might think or feel and how he would react. Doing so will make your child more sensitive towards others.
• Establish correct ways of conduct. Encourage politeness and kindness while discouraging rudeness, hurtful words, spitting, kicking, pinching and biting.

4. Make them independent: Learning new skills makes them self-sufficient boosting their self-esteem. Encourage and support it by giving your kids a few tasks such as:

• Picking and wearing their own clothes, socks and shoes.
• Organizing their school bags and tiffin.
• Waking up to alarm clocks rather than mamma’s voice.
• Taking and putting back their toys on their own.
• Once they begin eating by themselves, discourage feeding.