4 Tips For Supporting Your Children’s Development
Supporting your children’s development is a core part of being a parent, but it’s essential to understand what kind of behaviors play a role in that. When you’re parenting for the first time, you’re not going to have the answers to everything, and that’s fine – so long as you’re willing and ready to learn along the way.
Aside from the obvious core needs that your children cannot live without, there are plenty of other factors that you need to look out for. Your attitude towards them, the things you say, and your actions will affect their development as they grow up. Here are some of the things you should consider for your children:
Getting them the support they need
As a new parent, it can be difficult to accept that you’re not fully equipped to provide your child with everything they need. Some children may have learning difficulties, or further needs than other children – which is where foundations like CASRF come in, to help your children get the support they need. Knowing about these foundations can help you a lot, and there’s nothing wrong with needing the help of these types of foundations if your child needs the support.
Actively listen to your child
You should also consider the importance of what your children are saying. While it might not be anything groundbreaking, you don’t want to discourage them from speaking up about things. You also want them to approach you when they’re troubled, which is why it’s so important that you listen to them, and take them seriously when they’re struggling with things. Listening to them and talking about their problems, even if they seem insignificant to you, is vital to their emotional development. You should always let them feel like their emotions are valid.
Recognize and praise accomplishments
If your child is going to strive to improve and learn, praising can play a major role in that. That’s not to say that you should only praise them when they’ve done something incredibly significant, but when they’ve achieved something that’s a big deal for them. As a child, most things are significant developments – there are a lot of first-time achievements, and praising your child for doing well is important for their confidence.
Only promise what you can do
Lastly, promises are more important than you might think. A lot of the time, people might not think about how much of an impact their words can have on other people, which is an unrealistic way to think as a parent.
Your child is listening to everything you say, and if you make a promise, that should be absolute. Whether or not breaking your promise is something that you could control, it’s important that you’re only making promises that you know you can keep – to ensure your children grow up trusting you, while also maintaining that same honesty.
Overall, it’s important to recognize that as a parent, even if actions seem small to you – they can be very significant to your child. Whether that’s a promise, a passing comment, or overlooking something your child was proud of – it plays a much bigger role in their life than it does yours.
Learn more about this in our Birthing Again Class!
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