In spite of the old saying going "A man's house is his castle," a home can begin to feel more like a prison unless parents (both the mother and father) take the necessary steps to ensure a positive social and emotional balance within the home. Beyond whatever needs that the adults themselves may have, it is particularly important that children be afforded a nurturing and supportive atmosphere in the home.
Needless to say, there's a long path to travel to turn these lofty ideas into solid realities within the home, a process which is conditioned by the individualities and characters of the people involved. In any case, one thing that is for sure is that parents must go about reinforcing the positive behaviors their children have and discouraging them from acting out negative behaviors (ones that will inevitably end up undermining and corroding the nurturing home atmosphere parents are trying to create in the first place).
Lesson number one that parents must learn to this effect: nothing is better than leading by example. In the absence of such exemplary leadership, children will almost never respect their parents' cajolings and insinuations as to what parts of their behavior are good and, likewise, what parts are bad, etc. In other words, to be able to foster positive attitudes on the one hand, and to be able to get their children to desist with bad attitudes on the other hand, it's absolutely necessary for parents to practice what they preach. It's an inconvenient situation for certain parents, but it's an undeniable truth and a vital lesson for all parents.
With that idea firmly implanted inside a parent's head, it then comes time to develop and elaborate one's notion of exactly what behaviors are healthy and positive and which not; what should be reinforced and what discouraged. Indeed, it becomes necessary to ask the sobering question: what behaviors need to be supported and encouraged from a young age to let that child grow into a healthy, responsible adult life. Indeed, pondering these basic questions early on is a key part of the process of parenting.
A simple yet very over-arching way to think about this concept is to break it down into three sections: which behaviors are good for the child as a person; which behaviors are good for the family; and which behaviors are (and especially will be when the child grows up and becomes a fully fledged citizen) good for the greater society.
From the first perspective mentioned (that of the child's own welfare), parents ought to promote good habits such as frequent activity, both mental and physical. Another old saying makes mention of healthy bodies and healthy minds, and one cannot come unaccompanied by the other.
As seen from the second perspective, that of the family as a whole and with particular emphasis on relationships between its members, it's important that children remain actively involved with other members of the family and on generally good terms with them all (again, leading by example comes into play here as well). A practical strategy can be to encourage performing activities in groups rather than individually, though the necessity for this will largely depend on children's specific personalities.
Lastly, from the perspective of society's good, parents need to develop a sense of commitment towards the community. Some families achieve this through religious institutions, whereas others find different avenues; no matter what the case is, parents must encourage their kids to be open and accepting of all different kinds of people.
Needless to say, there's a long path to travel to turn these lofty ideas into solid realities within the home, a process which is conditioned by the individualities and characters of the people involved. In any case, one thing that is for sure is that parents must go about reinforcing the positive behaviors their children have and discouraging them from acting out negative behaviors (ones that will inevitably end up undermining and corroding the nurturing home atmosphere parents are trying to create in the first place).
Lesson number one that parents must learn to this effect: nothing is better than leading by example. In the absence of such exemplary leadership, children will almost never respect their parents' cajolings and insinuations as to what parts of their behavior are good and, likewise, what parts are bad, etc. In other words, to be able to foster positive attitudes on the one hand, and to be able to get their children to desist with bad attitudes on the other hand, it's absolutely necessary for parents to practice what they preach. It's an inconvenient situation for certain parents, but it's an undeniable truth and a vital lesson for all parents.
With that idea firmly implanted inside a parent's head, it then comes time to develop and elaborate one's notion of exactly what behaviors are healthy and positive and which not; what should be reinforced and what discouraged. Indeed, it becomes necessary to ask the sobering question: what behaviors need to be supported and encouraged from a young age to let that child grow into a healthy, responsible adult life. Indeed, pondering these basic questions early on is a key part of the process of parenting.
A simple yet very over-arching way to think about this concept is to break it down into three sections: which behaviors are good for the child as a person; which behaviors are good for the family; and which behaviors are (and especially will be when the child grows up and becomes a fully fledged citizen) good for the greater society.
From the first perspective mentioned (that of the child's own welfare), parents ought to promote good habits such as frequent activity, both mental and physical. Another old saying makes mention of healthy bodies and healthy minds, and one cannot come unaccompanied by the other.
As seen from the second perspective, that of the family as a whole and with particular emphasis on relationships between its members, it's important that children remain actively involved with other members of the family and on generally good terms with them all (again, leading by example comes into play here as well). A practical strategy can be to encourage performing activities in groups rather than individually, though the necessity for this will largely depend on children's specific personalities.
Lastly, from the perspective of society's good, parents need to develop a sense of commitment towards the community. Some families achieve this through religious institutions, whereas others find different avenues; no matter what the case is, parents must encourage their kids to be open and accepting of all different kinds of people.
About the Author:
Jayde Johannsen has learned lots of lessons about parenting over the years. If she is shopping for baby high chairs, she will always choose wooden high chairs for babies.
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