The art of Parenting

Make it happen

“There is no such thing as a perfect parent”

Parenting is definitely an art which each one of us should know to bring up successful children. Yes children are like parrots especially between 1 to 5 years of age. They grasp whatever they see and hear. Hence it is very important for parents to be extra careful with children. So as parents we play a vital role in every child’s life. Every parent has a different approach in how to interact and guide their children. Hence it is important for us to know how we could do it. No child is born imperfect; it’s only the situations that make them so. If we take utmost care in bringing them up, definitely you will be a successful parent and your child will become an awesome human being.

Be a role model

“Fill your life with experiences. Every experience makes you grow”

I would like to narrate a real time experience I had in the school of grade 1 student. It was a busy day and classes were going on as usual and I was just briefing on some grammar and I was disturbed by a kid who was chatting with her peer for a long time without listening to what I was saying. The other kid too was very interested in hearing what she was saying. I asked them once and twice to listen but they were not ready to listen as the conversation was going on very seriously with action and expression. Looking at the actions I was a bit doubtful as to what were their conversations about. After the class got over, I called the little kid and asked her as to what were they discussing about. The answer was a bit disturbing and shocking too. This little girl’s mother put her to sleep and started watching an adult movie on her laptop. She didn’t notice that the kid was awake and she too was watching the movie by hiding inside her blanket. This kid happened to see the whole movie and she was narrating the same to her peer, actually the kid didn’t know it was something bad but was narrating. When I heard this my heart went thumping. The way she explained and the things that she told was not for a grade 1 kid. Actually I wanted to speak to the mother but I felt delicate to open up this matter to her and I didn’t know how and what to say.

I also have another example. Once a kid was getting ready to go to school. Usually his father used to help him in dressing up but as his father had some important work and he couldn’t make it. So the mother tried to dress him up. When she tried to put on the boys vest through his head, he wouldn’t agree to wear it , he told her that this is not the way to wear. The mother was wondering what is wrong everybody wears like this then why the child is refusing to wear it. Then she asked him as to why he said so. So the boy told her we should put in both our hands first and then take it through the head. This mother told him its all  the same , anyhow you are going to wear the vest, the kid told her that he has seen his dad wearing like this and it is the right way and all other ways are wrong. We should see how kids are observing, this might be a simple incident but this is what happens in all families. Children try to imitate parents. So we have to be very cautious as to what we talk, how we behave in front of kids and so on.

Be the change

“The golden rule of parenting is do unto your children as you wish your parents had done unto you “

There are some ways in which we could bring up successful children 

• Spend more time with children, talk to them and ask them the happenings in school.
• Narrate good bed time stories which teach them values, even if you don’t know stories tell them some real life incidences which would enlighten them.
• Do not let them be free, give them some work or the other. Keep them occupied so that they don’t have time to think of anything else. 
• Allow them to water the plants , dust little things at home, wash their socks, plates which they  eat , so that they feel the belonging.
• Tell them how to spend and save money.
• Show them important places like bank, post office, police station etc. 
• Teach them how to handle things safely and how to be safe when they are alone at home. 
• Tell them how they should behave with elders . You be an example for this so that the child follows you.
• Ask them their interests and try to cater to that , stop giving mobiles to kids especially to play games. 
• Teach them simple math by asking them to pick stones or leaves and then make then count the same, they become physically and mentally strong.
• Ask them to talk about a tree which is near your house or anything like that, hey will improve their communication.
• Ask them to do fireless cooking something very simple.
•  Wish them every morning, so that it becomes a habit.
• Wake them up early and take them for a walk, it would help them in future.
• Give them simple books to read and make it a habit to ask them about the current events so that they will watch the news regularly.
• Play with them and be friendlier. 
• Avoid beating them, if you are kind they would definitely listen to you.
• Teach them how to keep their body clean and what would happen if they are not clean.
• Take them for good movies and then ask them, what did they learn from the movie , each movie is definitely connected to some subject or the other . E.g.: Math, science, social studies etc. We as elders even don’t notice that but if we deeply see the movie it will have some subject in it.
• Connect all studies with real life and make it interesting for them. 
• Say only positive things to them, avoid comparing them with others .
• Always tell them that they can do it, tell them that they are the best .
• Find out what subject they are interested in and encourage them, do not force them to do things which they are not interested in or unable to do.

If we try to do all the above said hints, I’m sure your child is going to be the best of all kids.

• Blog By
  Ms. Maria Theresa Malini
  PYP Homeroom Teacher – Cambridge International
  The Indian Public School – Erode.
  October, 15 2022 | In Blog
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