| Top Tips to being a great parent! |
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Families come in all sh  apes and sizes. And parents often feel caught between the pressures of today and worries about tomorrow. But whatever the shape of your family, you can be a great parent. As families celebrate Mother’s Day on 14th March, charity Care for the Family have come up with some top tips to help you along the journey. 1. Stay calm! Try to take something positive out of every new experience your kids introduce you to, even if it is a frog in the laundry basket! At least it wasn’t two frogs. 2. Be silly once a day If it’s not in your job description to have fun with your children, then it’s time to rewrite it! Laugh at their jokes, even if you’ve heard them before. Be a kid again, sometimes. Families come in all shapes and sizes. And parents often feel caught between the pressures of today and worries about tomorrow. But whatever the shape of your family, you can be a great parent. As families celebrate Mother’s Day on 14th March, charity Care for the Family have come up with some top tips to help you along the journey. 1. Stay calm! Try to take something positive out of every new experience your kids introduce you to, even if it is a frog in the laundry basket! At least it wasn’t two frogs. 2. Be silly once a day If it’s not in your job description to have fun with your children, then it’s time to rewrite it! Laugh at their jokes, even if you’ve heard them before. Be a kid again, sometimes. 3. Don’t take yourself too seriously Character matters more than reputation. You might lose face occasionally, but modelling character means being willing to apologize, being honest about mistakes, forgiving other people for their mistakes, and moving on. 4. Honour their mother or father This can be hard if you’re no longer together as a couple, but even so, honouring their mother or father teaches your children an important lesson in life about respect. 5. Celebrate their differences Don’t compare your children. Each of your children is different and will want to do their own thing. Try to spend time with them individually, whether that’s racing them on the Playstation or taking them to Claire’s Accessories. 6. Invest in your relationship If you are in a relationship take some time out for you. If you are a single parent make sure you get some ‘me’ time. If you are happy, research shows that your children will be more contented too.  7. Choose your battles – and stick to them Always ask yourself, “Is it really worth arguing about this?” If it is, then stick to your guns (unless they give you a very good reason to give in). 8. Let them decide what to do with a day It might not be an expensive trip out. It might just be going to McDonald’s instead of KFC, but give them the choice. 9. Assume the best Don’t over-react; listen to their version of events. Show them that you trust them and you have a much better chance of them trusting you in return. |
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