Raising Kids and Parenting

Being parents and raising kids can be a daunting challenge. It can especially be a daunting challenge to raise kids who will become responsible, caring, and contributors to the well-being of society. Of course, parents, teachers, and other adults have a responsibility to make sure that these kids do not grow up to becoming criminals, but rather, to go on and live fruitful lives so that civilization on earth will continue.

Act the way you wish your kids to act. As mentioned in the Effecting External Change article, in order to effect change, you must display the behavior yourself. That way, kids will model what they see.

Give kids reasons to act in certain ways. Another way to persuade kids to do what you would like them to is to rationalize with them. Tell them the benefits of not smoking even when they are only four or five years old. In fact, that age is probably when they will become the type of person they will be. Tell them the benefits of eating their vegetables. Tell them the benefits of learning how to spell well. Tell them why they should not lick their fingers.

Repeat your advice. You may need to tell them again and again. But that's no matter. It doesn't hurt. Kids need to be reminded. Try to maintain your temper, even thought it may be tempting to get angry with them. Kids are only kids.

Give negative reinforcement to kids when they are naughty.  However, you must nip the problem in the bud when they occur and not wait ten years later when it is too late. If they misbehave, you must give them some type of negative reinforcement. Perhaps the most powerful is ignoring them and ignoring their words. If they wail and cry all the time, the simplest way to stop it is just to ignore it. Do your own thing. Eventually, the child will calm down because he sees that he is not getting attention by being so aggravated.

Give children positive reinforcement when they are well-behaved. Positive reinforcement is also highly encouraged. Praise them for the tiniest of accomplishments. Praise them for trying. Praise them genuinely, of course. This will engender self confidence in them and also make them very happy. They will be proud of themselves. 

At the same time, try not to give them too much pressure. Try not to be nice to them only when they do well on an exam and brutal to them when they don't perform well. The love of parents should be unconditional. Negative reinforcements should generally be used for behavioral problems such as screaming all the time. The abilities of children will eventually flower and develop if you give them ample praise, opportunity, and freedom.

Treat kids like adults. When you talk to them, talk to them as if they are adults. They know more than you think they know. By treating them like adults, you help them conduct civilized, adult behavior under various social circumstances when they do become adults.

Spend ample time with children. Don't neglect to spend plenty of time with your children. In order to blossom and mature into well-balanced, healthy individuals, they need a lot of your attention, guidance, and time spent with them. Even if you are just at home doing one thing and they are doing another thing, it is still a form of spending time together. Spending direct time with them is even better. Do not think that you will be able to make up lost time with them when they grow up (which is really in the flash of an eye) - you will have lost the chance to form that special relationship.

Raising kids, though not easy, should be a task that every parent should endeavor to continually try their hardest to improve upon. Every experience, every event should be a lesson that parents can learn from as they try their best to give their children the best. 

In summary, some tips on effectively raising kids are to

A. Act the way you wish your kids to act.
B. Give kids reasons to act in certain ways.
C. Repeat your advice.
D. Give your kids negative reinforcement when they are naughty..
E. Give your children positive reinforcement when they are well-behaved.
F. Treat kids like adults.
G. Spend ample time with children.

Life Skills > Family Skills > Raising Kids and Parenting