Make Your Parenting Journey A Little Easier On Yourself

In the age of social media, television, gaming and technology parents need all the guidance they can get when it comes to parenting. Children are growing up in a vastly different world than their parents did and technology is forcing them to mature faster. Your parents didn't deal with cyber bullying so it is up to you to learn how to manage those new concerns. Hopefully the tips below can make parenting feel a bit easier than yesterday.

Our goals as parents are to raise children who know right from wrong, use their manners and respect others. The best way to make that happen is to ensure all of your actions reflect the values you are trying to instill in them. Monkey see, monkey do.

Setting boundaries for your children is a great way to communicate your expectations of them. They need to know they are expected to do certain things. By creating boundaries for your children you will be setting them up for success when they begin to interact socially with other children.

Having children is one of the greatest experiences in life and also the most challenging. You will never laugh as much as you do with your child nor will you ever be quite as frustrated as you can become with your child. On the toughest days just take a deep breath and be grateful you have the little miracle to even be frustrated with.

Be consistent in your parenting. When you constantly repeat yourself and you are always making threats without following through, your children will begin to ignore you and lose respect for you. This is actually teaching them not to listen because they will learn that you do not mean what you say. Being consistent will lead to happy children who trust you and know what to expect from you.

Disagreements are a part of a relationship or marriage, but you should never let these disagreements impact your children. Angry, loud or violent arguments have a very negative effect on children. They need good role models on how to express anger effectively and not in a violent way towards others. If you are open to calling each other names in front of the children you can be guaranteed the next fight they have as siblings will involve name calling also.

When deciding on a caregiver for your children interview them as you would be interviewed for a job. Prepare all your questions ahead of time and do not be afraid to ask them what you need to know. Watch how they interact with your child. If they make no attempt to get to know your child the first time they meet them find somewhere else to go.

When you choose a caregiver do not assume they raise children the same way you do. Be clear about your expectations and wishes regarding discipline, food, and other aspects of your child's care.

The world you grew up in as a child barely exists anymore and the parenting skills you picked up from your parents may need to be modified to compensate. Do not get stuck in the past or be afraid to try new parenting techniques when the old ones are no longer effective.