Parenting is one of the most challenging, yet most rewarding journeys in a parent’s life. You want to do it all, and you want to do it perfectly. Therefore, you leave no stone unturned and enrich your knowledge in the domain of parenting by reading about effective parenting tips, creative activities for home, developmental milestones to look for, and other topics.
However, sometimes as parents who want to raise well-mannered, happy, healthy and smart children, we feel stuck. We often think about, “How to raise a child?” It may be because of lack of cooperation from our kids, a gap in our knowledge related to early childhood education, or cloudiness in our minds when it comes to the ideal parenting approach for our children.
A 10-Step Guide for How to Properly Raise a Child
To ease out your situation regarding ‘how to raise amazing kids’, here is a step-by-step guide for your reference:
1 Get Happy Yourself
Just like we say ‘Charity begins at home’, similarly happiness begins from within. To raise kids who are happy, it is important that you feel happy too. The emotions you project set the tone for your child’s behaviour. You may have seen your kid, often imitating your actions and words. Well, the same applies for emotions.
- Focus on self-care to create a positive environment. Dedicate time for yoga, meditation, talking to a good-old-friend, or any other feel-good activity that recharges you.
- Engage in activities that lighten up your mood. These can be hobby activities such as gardening, painting, watching a good show or movie, and likewise.
- Exercise, eat well, and rest properly. A healthy body and mind is reflected in your calm and happy parenting style.
2 Teach Your Kids about Relationship-Building
In order to raise kids who are socially and emotionally evolved, teach them about developing friendships and relationships. This can be done by teaching them about the concept of sharing, respecting everyone around them, and talking politely to everyone. Here is how you can impart relationship building skills in your kids:
- Teach your child to share their toys, snacks, or crayons with others. You can say, "When we share, everyone feels happy, and we make new friends!"
- Help your child learn to say "please," "thank you," and "sorry." You can practice this at home too.
- Encourage your child to play with other kids. Activities like circle time or pretend play teach teamwork and help them bond with others.
3 Expect Efforts from Your Kids Instead of Perfection
Sometimes as parents who have very high hopes from our kids, we want them to excel in every field. We do not want them to settle for mediocrity. But sometimes in this desire for wanting perfection from our kids, we forget to appreciate their efforts. Let us remind ourselves that ‘Perfection is a myth’, and go ahead with raising kids who have a ‘go-getter’ attitude!
- When your child tries something new or works hard, celebrate it! Say, "I’m so proud of how hard you worked," instead of focusing only on winning or being the best.
- Teach your child that mistakes are okay and part of learning. You can say, "Every mistake is a step closer to success!"
- Focus on your child’s strengths. Notice what your child loves and is good at. Support their passions instead of comparing them to others.
4 Teach Optimism to Your Kids
The real world will be a mixed bag of all kinds of challenges and roller-coaster moments for your kiddo. Therefore, it is important that you teach your child to be optimistic and positive right from their childhood years. When your kid will have a positive outlook towards life, they will feel gratified and content with everything they have. Here is how you can instill optimism in your children.
- Practice being grateful in front of your children. Use words that show thankfulness for even the smallest of things.
- Teach your children the importance of never giving up even if we face setbacks in life.
- Read stories with happy endings. Choose books where characters overcome difficulties and stay hopeful.
5 Teach Emotional Intelligence to Your Children
Teaching emotional intelligence to kids helps them understand and manage their feelings, as well as connect better with others. Thus, in your pursuit to properly raise a child, the more you help your child understand their feelings and of those around them, the better it would be for their overall development. Here is how you can raise great kids by developing their emotional intelligence:
- Teach your child to use affirmations such as “I am brave” or “I can handle this.”
- Read books or watch shows where characters face emotions and talk about them: “Why do you think she felt scared?”
- Play Emotion-Charades where you act out emotions like happy, sad, or surprised, and let your toddler guess.
6 Form Joyful Routines
One of the best ways to raise amazing kids is to set a routine. It helps bring structure, happiness and growth into the lives of your children. When toddlers know what is coming up next, they are more likely to cooperate with you. They thrive on predictability. Furthermore, when these routines are filled with fun-filled activities, then the toddlers enjoy even more. Here is how you can incorporate a joyous routine into your kid’s life:
- Include activities that involve movement such as jumping, dancing, walking in open spaces, and likewise.
- You can also enroll your child in a holistically designed mother-toddler program such as Mom & I, by the House of Mother’s Pride. This will help in setting a routine, making new friends, and reaching developmental milestones with ease.
- Get into a routine of giving morning hugs, night-time stories, and mid-day cuddles. Your child will feel your love and warmth and would look forward to these moments every day.
7 Teach Self-Discipline to Your Kid
When you wonder about how to raise a child, then remember that self-discipline is a skill that would help your toddler understand boundaries, manage their emotions, and make good choices in life. However, teaching this to little ones does not mean being strict all the time. It is about guiding them gently whenever they are not behaving well. Here’s how you can nurture self-discipline in your toddler:
- Toddlers learn best when they are having fun. Activities like sorting toys or matching shapes also build focus and patience.
- Children mimic what they see. Therefore, show self-discipline in your actions, whether it is putting your phone down during family time or staying calm when things do not go as planned.
- Tantrums are normal for toddlers, but how you respond matters. Enlightening yourself about effective parenting tips would help you immensely. And so, stay calm and offer comfort while setting boundaries.
8 Boost Creativity by including more Play Time!
Playtime is not just about fun, it is in fact a powerful tool for raising well-rounded, happy, and creative kids. When your toddler plays, they explore their imagination, solve problems, and build skills that help them grow into confident individuals. Here is how you can foster creativity in your dearest toddler by including more play time in their routine:
- Join your children in pretend play. Role-playing games teach social skills and give your toddler a chance to express their ideas and emotions.
- You can also play their favorite songs and encourage them to sing or dance along. Music and movement would boost creativity, coordination, and self-expression in your little child.
- Whether it is a crayon drawing or a block tower, always show excitement and appreciation for their efforts.
9 Create a Happy Environment to Nurture Good Manners in Your Toddler
In your quest for how to raise kids, remember that a happy and stress-free environment would encourage your child to explore, learn, and practice good habits naturally. On the other hand, a cluttered space can lead to frustration or tantrums in your child. Here is how you can go ahead with creating a happy environment for your toddler:
- You can choose toys that encourage your child to share, cooperate, and indulge in creativity.
- You can also decorate a space in your house with warm colours and family photographs. Enjoying in this area will make your child feel loved and belonged.
- Make your kid’s environment toddler-friendly by keeping their toys, books, and clothes within easy reach.
10 Eat Meals Together
Sharing meals as a family is more than just eating. It is in reality a golden opportunity to nurture your child’s emotional, social, and behavioral growth. It is observed that families who eat meals together, bond better with each other.
Here’s how you can make family meal times more enjoyable:
- Ask light-hearted questions to your kid like, “What made you smile today?” or “If you could be any animal, which one would you be?”
- You can also share funny stories from your day to spark laughter.
- One of the ways to make family meal times more engaging is by turning off the TV and putting away phones to focus on each other.
We always remember people by the values they carry. And these values are instilled in a person right from childhood. Thus, raising a well-mannered child is not just important for your child’s present, but also for their future. To form a strong foundation of your child’s personality, it is important that you teach them good manners right from their toddler years. Furthermore, to provide your child with structured guidance in a positive environment, you can enroll your child in Mom & I, the mother toddler program by the House of Mother’s Pride.
Wrapping Up
Frequently Asked Questions
You can raise great kids by consistently teaching them good manners. Always remember to be positive about your child’s strengths and try not to overreact if your child misbehaves. Remember it is a gradual process of improvement.
First things first, try to lead by example. When your child sees your positive behaviour, they are likely to imitate you. In addition, reward your child for their good behaviour. Do not be too liberal but strike a balance between strictness and leniency.
The cost of raising a child depends on several factors, including your location, lifestyle, and the choices you make regarding education, childcare, healthcare, and extracurricular activities.
Usually, kids don't listen well when they feel insecure. Your calmness will help keep them open to you. Therefore, slow down and connect. Get down at their eye level, and talk to them in a simple, clear, affirmative and soft tone. They will surely reciprocate with cooperative behavior.
To raise a respectful child, treat them with respect. When you model positive action and acknowledge kindness, you raise respectful children.