Easy Ways to Be a Fantastic Parent 1

1. Set Smart Limits ​ Take charge. Children crave limits, which help them understand and manage an often confusing world. Show your love by setting boundaries so your kids can explore and discover their passions safely. ​ Don't clip your child's wings. Your toddler's mission in life is to gain independence. So when she's developmentally capable of putting her toys away, clearing her plate from the table, and dressing herself, let her. Giving a child responsibility is good for her self-esteem (and your sanity!). ​ Don't try to fix everything. Give young kids a chance to find their own solutions. When you lovingly acknowledge a child's minor frustrations without immediately rushing in to save her, you teach her self-reliance and resilience. ​ 2. Create Your Own Quality Time ​ We understand the country situation and you need to work harder to provide for your kids, you need quality time with to enable you know and identify your kids strengths and weakness ​ Play with your children. Let them choose the activity, and don't worry about rules. Just go with the flow and have fun. That's the name of the game. ​ Read books together every day. Get started when he's a newborn; babies love listening to the sound of their parents' voices. Cuddling up with your child and a book is a great bonding experience that will set him up for a lifetime of reading. ​ Schedule daily special time. Let your child choose an activity where you hang out together for 10 or 15 minutes with no interruptions. There's no better way for you to show your love. ​ Encourage daddy time. The greatest untapped resource available for improving the lives of our children is time with Dad -- early and often. Kids with engaged fathers do better in school, problem-solve more successfully, and generally cope better with whatever life throws at them. Even if you are divorce allow them spend time with their father. ​ ​ 3. Be a Good Role Model ​ Be the role model your children deserve. Kids learn by watching their parents. Modeling appropriate, respectful, good behavior works much better than telling them what to do. ​ Fess up when you blow it. This is the best way to show your child how and when she should apologize. ​ Live a little greener. Show your kids how easy it is to care for the environment. Waste less, recycle, reuse, and conserve each day. Spend an afternoon picking up trash around the neighborhood. ​ Always tell the truth. It's how you want your child to behave, right? ​ 4. Know the Best Ways to Praise ​ Give appropriate praise. Instead of simply saying, "You're great," try to be specific about what your child did to deserve the positive feedback. You might say, "Waiting until I was off the phone to ask for cookies was hard, and I really liked your patience." ​ Cheer the good stuff. When you notice your child doing something helpful or nice, let him know how you feel. It's a great way to reinforce good behavior so he's more likely to keep doing it. ​ Gossip about your kids. Fact: What we overhear is far more potent than what we are told directly. Make praise more effective by letting your child "catch" you whispering a compliment about him to Grandma, Dad, or even his teddy. ​ 5. Trust Yourself ​ Give yourself a break. Hitting the drive-through when you're too tired to cook doesn't make you a bad parent. ​ Trust your mommy gut. No one knows your child better than you. Follow your instincts when it comes to his health and well-being. If you think something's wrong, chances are you're right. ​ Just say "No." Resist the urge to take on extra obligations at the office or become the Volunteer Queen at your child's school. You will never, ever regret spending more time with your children. ​ 6. Don't Forget to Teach Social Skills ​ Ask your children three "you" questions every day. The art of conversation is an important social skill, but parents often neglect to teach it. Get a kid going with questions like, "Did you have fun at school?"; "What did you do at the party you went to?"; or "Where do you want to go tomorrow afternoon?" ​ Teach kids this bravery trick. Tell them to always notice the color of a person's eyes. Making eye contact will help a hesitant child appear more confident and will help any kid to be more assertive and less likely to be picked on. ​ 6. Raise Grateful Kids ​ Show your child how to become a responsible citizen. Find ways to help others all year. Kids gain a sense of self-worth by volunteering in the community. ​ Don't raise a spoiled kid. Keep this thought in mind: Every child is a treasure, but no child is the center of the universe. Teach him accordingly. ​ Talk about what it means to be a good person. Start early: When you read bedtime stories, for example, ask your toddler whether characters are being mean or nice and explore why. 7. Always Say "I Love You" ​ Love your children equally, but treat them uniquely. They're individuals. ​ Say "I love you" whenever you feel it, even if it's 1000 times a day. You simply can not spoil a child with too many mushy words of affection and too many smooches. Not possible. ​ Keep in mind what grand moms always say. Children are not yours, they are only lent to you for a time. In those fleeting years, do your best to help them grow up to be good people. ​ Savor the moments. Yes, parenthood is the most exhausting job on the planet. Yes, your house is a mess, the laundry's piled up, and the dinner need to be ready. But your kid just laughed. Enjoy it now -- it will be over far too fast.