I have often worked with parents who had a difficult time with the challenges that come with being an effective parent. None of us are born with the knowledge and skills required to be a successful parent. Most people pick up their parenting styles from the environment and parental figures that raised them. If we were raised with inadequate parenting then we tend to be less effective parents ourselves, and if we were raised with effective parenting then we tend to parent our children more effectively. Since there is no such thing as a perfect person, there is no such thing as a perfect parent. However, parents can learn and implement skills and behaviors that will help them to raise more well-adjusted and successful children.
Parenting involves meeting your child’s physical and emotional needs:
Here are 6 things that are required for effective parenting:
Knowing your child well
Having good communication with your child
Setting limits for your child
Disciplining your child in POSITIVE ways
Supervising your child
Being a good role model for your child
In my next article, I will delve deeper with insight into different parenting styles and how children respond to each one.
Written by Darrin Goodwin Associate Professional Counselor