Valentine’s Day is just around the corner — a day celebrating love.
One thing that I feel we can always improve on is the love we give our children, both in quality and quantity. We all know our personal and professional needs usually outnumber our strong intentions to spend every post-school moment with our children. And to replace time and the guilt we parents feel we usually end up giving in to marketing gimmicks to buy expensive toys and gadgets.
Parenting is the simple act of following your instinct to raise your child with love.
Given the complexities of our modern world, parents tend to look outwards for advice and rely less on their internal compass. This is when parenting becomes a complex maze of what to say, when to say, how to say and what to give.
Just keep it simple and trust your intuition.
Let’s start with six secrets to successful parenting, which we’ll discuss in detail as we move forward.
Listen, discuss, understand: Any big goal is achieved by daily rituals. A strong relationship with your child is built on a foundation of daily sharing. Make this part of each other’s day.
Parent your real child: Parenting is truly about listening to your instinct and parenting your child that you have, not the child you dreamt of.
Have a good time: Gift your time qualitatively and quantitatively. By gifting him the latest gadget, you will lose him in the same environment that you are a victim of.
Speak your love: This is the perfect week to shower your child with loving words and extra cuddles. Cuddles are always a child’s prerogative until such time that parents realise they need them more than the kids.
Acknowledge: When your child is good you take it for granted that you did well as a parent. When he is rebellious it’s easier to blame his peers. Acknowledge the good child for his efforts.
Use your parenting power the right way: You are your child’s first role model and you can model whatever you want your child to be. Be abusive and you have a little abuser. Be respectful and you will raise a gentleman.
Love is a feeling, not a thing that blinks and beeps and pulls you away from the very being you created from love, to love.
This is an interactive column on parenting skills and child behaviour. If you have a query, write to tabloid@gulfnews.com
— Sunaina Vohra is a certified youth and family life coach at Athena Life Coaching in Dubai. For more information log on to athenalifecoaching.com
