Parenting is like a roller-coaster ride. I have happy memories of my children growing up, but also memories of anxious moments, times that I just wanted to forget.
But, whatever might be the experience, my responsibilities as a good parent do not change.
It can be hard to know the best thing to do in every parenting situation; everyone has different opinions about what makes a good parent. In fact, there is no magic formula for perfect parenting.
Parents are Role Models
Parents have the responsibility to teach children about the right and wrong things in life. But usually, children are more affected by what we do than what we say. They learn how to behave by seeing how their mother and father behave and by following their example.
However, we aren’t perfect. Sometimes, we lose our tempers say things we are sorry for and are not always as kind as we would like to be. When that happens, it is important to admit our mistakes, say we’re sorry, and show that we will try to make things right.
I believe that parents are a child’s first teachers and role models. Being a positive role model is probably the most important and rewarding thing we can do for our children.
Read also: An Open Letter to My Daughters on Their 21st Birthday
Giving Children Love and Affection
The natural desire of children is to play. The process of playing is essential in the child’s growth and development, which is beneficial for their physical, emotional, cognitive, and social growth.
Besides playing, children also need love and affection from their parents.
My two daughters, Munifa and Mufida have very different characters. While Mufida is straightforward about her feelings, (Mufida will tell you when she would love to be hugged) Munifa is more circumspect about showing her feelings. But we know they both love to be hugged. Kissing and hugging reassure them of being safe and happy.
Sincere love is the main “asset” for a child to experience as they develop to adulthood. It gives them a feeling of belonging and someone to whom they can return their love.
Attitudes that reflect parents’ love to form positive emotions will help children remain resilient in facing the challenges of life and the disappointments it always brings from time to time.
Teach Children Responsibility
Teaching children about personal responsibility will make them learn to be independent and make them aware of the consequence of their actions to themselves. They need to have respect for themselves, for their parents, siblings, and society in general.
Examples of taking responsibility include; completing their homework without pressure, washing their clothes, keeping their bedroom and toys neat and tidy are important responsibilities for children to adhere to and develop their ability to be self-reliant.
Parents generally want the same things for their kids. We want them to grow up to love and be loved, to follow their dreams, to find success. To achieve these ambitions requires commitment, effort, and time from the parents as much as the children themselves, especially in the child’s early years.
They require us to have endless compassion, to rain love, understanding, and acceptance on them at all times and especially in those periods when we are physically and mentally exhausted.
Bringing up children can be hard and sometimes frustrating, but when it succeeds, the benefits to the parents can be immeasurable. To see your children as adults with a personality full of kindness, generosity, smartness, friendly, sensitivity, and loving their siblings is a joy beyond compare.
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