Kids are new to this world, therefore, they require constant dealing to teach them morals and values and to help them develop physically and emotionally. So, as a parent you must check out these ways to deal with your kids and their needs.
Do not dismiss the kidâs feelings
When compared to adults, kids are not emotionally developed. It is common for them to have difficulties in expressing their feelings and discussing their wants and needs. So, whenever your child expresses her/his feelings, acknowledge them. Let the child know that you understand her/his feelings and respond to them. Never dismiss a child’s feelings. In certain situations, you must encourage your child to participate in discussions and express her/his feelings about an issues. For instance, if you are going to get your house repainted, then ask your child how does s/he feels about getting a room painted in some particular color. If the child is happy with the choice of color, then go ahead, or otherwise ask your child to give inputs on what color s/he wants. Similarly, while making decisions such as T.V. time and study time, consult your child about what timing does s/he wants. Encouraging your child to express her/his feelings will help her/him to grow emotionally. At the same time, it will help your child develop communication skills. Whether the feeling is relatively small, like ‘I don’t like the food,’ to something apparently big, ‘I don’t like when you and daddy fight,’ always give a response to it. Dismissing a child’s feelings will not only prevent her/him from developing, but will also become an underlying cause of anger, frustration and toddler tantrums.
The power of unconditional love
Dealing with kids requires patience and love. Kids tend to face several problems physically, emotionally, socially and morally. But you can help them avoid and/or deal with all these problems by giving her/him unconditional love. Most of the kids face difficulties because they feel that they are neglected. So, never ever make your child feel neglected or unloved. Always show your unconditional love to your child by saying things like, ‘Mommy loves you,’ or ‘Daddy will always be there if you have a problem.’ This way the kids will have faith on you and they will communicate their feelings. Also, instead of rebuking your child over issues of disorganization or poor academic performance, help her/him to find solutions for the problems. For instance, if a child has problem in maths, give sometime to the child and teach her/him the basic calculations. Similarly, if you child throws toddler tantrums, then instead of succumbing to his tantrums or scolding him, just hug him and help him calm down. Don’t judge your kids. Remember, the power of unconditional love will help your child sail through all the troubles.
Be consistent
If you want your child to have a consistent pattern of behaving, then you should always be consistent in your behavior. Therefore, never fight or argue in front of your child if you don’t want your child to indulge in fights. Similarly, have a routine for different activities for yourself and your kids so you can help them learn discipline. Always be a role model for your child. Don’t act out irrationality to situations because your kid will also adopt your behaviors. At the same time, you must define the errands that a child has to run. This way your child will know what is expected from her/him. Consistent and reliable behavior pattern will ensure that your kid will not face behavioral problems during childhood years.
Be aware of emotional needs of growing kids
Growing kids have several emotional needs. For a toddler who steps in middle childhood years, s/he needs to be taught about appropriate behaviors, like how they need to react at different situations. Similarly, a pre-teen stepping into the teenage years has special emotional needs. Changes related to puberty may lead to physical and hormonal changes that in turn leads to emotional changes. A kid at this stage requires parents who understand about teenage issues such as body image, identity formation or mood swings. Therefore, as a parent you must be aware of your child’s emotional needs. Surf internet, read psychological books or refer to articles related to adolescence to know more about what your kid will expect from you at different stages of development. At the same time, maintain a proper communication channel with your kid. Be friendly instead of preachy so that your child can discuss her/his issues with you.
Reward and reciprocate
Always reward your child for acceptable behavior. The rewards don’t need to be really huge, but simple appreciations. For instance, when you kid waits for his turn on swing, tell him, ‘That’s very good.’ Or if your child completes her/his homework on time for a week, them cook her/his favorite dessert. Reciprocate your kids for their behaviors. If they are behaving in unacceptable manners or constantly throwing tantrums, then you don’t have to scold them or punish them. Instead apply negative reinforcement technique, like giving them more household chores or prevent them from playing video games till they don’t follow acceptable behavior patterns. This way you can deal with your kids and help them grow, develop and mature.
