5 Useful Tips to Help You Become a Peaceful Parent

If you find that stress has become your constant parenting companion and you’re crying out for the day job of parenting, read on. Here are 5 helpful tips for calm parenting Mind you, calm parenting does not mean the complete absence of stress, but the fact that stress ceases to define your relationship with your child.

Charity Begins at Home – the first step to being a calm parent is undoubtedly to try to find peace within yourself. Meditation or simple anger management tips like counting to five before reacting to a situation can go a long way in helping you manage situations. The rule of thumb should be to minimize your reactions when you are in the agony of any emotion. Leaving the room until you have more control over your abilities will work better than choosing to reprimand the child when you are very upset about something the child has done. Not only will this help improve your relationship with your child, you would be a great role model for them to be able to handle stressful situations later in life.

Invest in Building a Relationship with Your Child – Spending quality bonding time with your child can go a long way in laying the foundation for a loving relationship. With the love and attention the child receives, you will not only blossom, it will help build a relationship of trust that will allow the child to confide in you. Done right, amidst the fun and games, this bonding time will also provide you with many coaching moments where you can teach your child important lessons.

Look Beyond the obvious – it is very natural to be afraid of a child’s tantrums or to resort to embarrassing behavior with his peers. Remember, though, that you have to look beyond the obvious to get to why he’s exhibiting certain behaviors. Once you deal with the core issue, you can be sure that its expression through emotions will automatically be taken care of.

Set reasonable limits – It is absolutely crucial that you set reasonable limits. Remember that boundaries don’t just discipline children, they also help them feel safe. However, when setting reasonable limits, the rule of thumb is to set calm and firm limits without being overly harsh or causing fear or shame. It is advisable to be prepared that some of these limits may upset the child, but if done correctly, it will help the child without affecting your relationship.

Don’t force your child to apologize – As parents, we are often guilty of not letting a child move on from apologizing for their misbehavior. It often happens in public. Remember that instead of the child feeling remorse for his behavior, it leads to resentment. It is much more effective if you take responsibility for your actions in your daily behavior and apologize without any shame for the things you have done wrong, even if unknowingly. This behavior is absorbed by the child and soon becomes second nature to him without you asking for an apology.