Amid the chaos of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture of parenting.
When you’re in the trenches dealing with your baby’s dirty diapers, your tween’s potty mouth and the host of other excrement that comes with raising children, it’s hard to focus on the fact that you are molding future adults.
Well-adjusted, responsible, thoughtful, charitable, productive adults.
That’s the goal.
The challenge is looking beyond the moment.
The times when it seems easier to give up, give in, or frankly, not give a damn, rather than digging deep to teach your kids the skills and core values needed to mature into decent human beings.
Experts suggest being extra careful when picking battles with your kids. Why not skip the battle all together? Instead of engaging in a war with your child, simply stand strong and calmly enforce your rules. Forgo the nagging, the lectures and endless verbal sparring; rather, set clear boundaries and follow through with punishments when the line is crossed.
However, be prudent when it comes to doling out punishments. Never punish a child when you are angry. You are better off taking a break and calming down before imposing a sentence. During that time, remember that the reason for punishing your child is to teach him a lesson about actions and consequences. If you’re goal is to hurt your child rather than guide him, your punishment is a worthless endeavor.
Finally, try to avoid confrontation. You can do this by clearly communicating to your child what you expect from him in various situations. If he fails, tell him how he can do better the next time. This instruction will reduce your child’s frustration because he will have a clear understanding of your expectations and guidance on how to improve in the future.