Written By: Anusha Iyengar | Updated : December 5, 2015 11:03 AM IST
All parents want their kids to be successful and positive people in life. But are you doing everything right to make sure that your kid is turning out to be the respectful, grateful and sincere person you want him to be? Dr Keerti Sachdeva, a counselling psychologist at Positive Vibrations Clinic, Mumbai, gives few tips on how to build a positive home for your child.
'I am grateful for' is an activity that every family must do. At the end of every day, sit together and write down one thing that you were grateful for in your day. You could be grateful for the lunch you got or for taking the bus instead of a train. It can be anything. This helps you raise a grateful child and creates a positive aura in your house. Try this out for sure.
Be your child's role model, be the person you want your child to be. Appreciate your child's efforts all the time. It will encourage him to be more responsible. Try to involve your child in most activities at home and outside, so he sees and learns how you manage things. If you are rude with the maid or hawkers, your child will pick this quality from you and behave the same way. So make sure you set the right example for your child to be respectful of others. You are the first person your kid looks up to, so inspire him likewise.
Never say never, and start with yourself. Start being positive if you want to encourage everyone else at home to be positive. If your little monster wants to scribble on the walls, let him. By not letting him do what he wants, you are restricting him to explore himself and his creativity. This will make him find it difficult to try new things without hesitating when he grows up.
Follow the values that you wish to imbibe in your kid. Want your kid to be a good human being when he grows up and follow values like honesty, sincerity, kindness, etc.? Then you must practice these yourself first. If you are preaching about being an honest, kind and sincere person, make sure you are one. You don't want your kid to retaliate saying, 'Why do you stop me from doing things you yourself do?' Even if it is smoking or drinking, if you do it, your child is bound to pick up these habits when he grows up.
Indulge in outdoor games. Put the phone away for a while. Let your child get into some outdoor games. Teach him how to play cricket or soccer or any other sport that both of you like. Or you can enrol him in sports classes. Playing outdoor games make sure that your child stays active, which increases his stamina. Don't turn him into a couch potato. An active kid is a happy kid. Here are 9 reasons why your child should participate in sports.
Be 'with' your kid. If you're a working parent, make sure you talk to your kid every night about how his day was, what he did during the day, etc. Dr Keerti suggests, 'Talk to your kid about what he feels about certain issues. Your child is growing up and has his own perceptions about a lot of things. Ask him what he feels about marriage or friendship or anything that makes him think. This will also make your child feel heard and important. Don't judge him for his perceptions, though.' Instead of pin-pointing his flaws, enjoy the little moments with him. Check out these 5 activities that you can do to bond with your little one.
Communication is the key. How you communicate with people in your house teaches your child a lot of things. If you have issues with your spouse, solve it in the bedroom or meet somewhere outside to sort it out. Quarreling in front of kids has a very negative effect on them. Eventually, they lose faith in relationships and have a very negative approach towards most things in life. Read this if you're heading for a divorce and want to prepare your kid for it.
Paint your walls bright. The colours of your walls also, subconsciously, have an effect on your child's mental health. Use bright shades like light yellow or white or pink. The brighter the shades of the walls are, the merrier your child's thoughts will be. Brighter shades on the walls also help you sleep better. Here's how pink walls and white bed sheets help you sleep better.
Let your budding astronaut, doctor or artist choose his own vocation. Do not force him to choose a career that you want him to pursue. Remember, your child is not the answer or solution to your failures. If you couldn't be a doctor or something you wanted to be, doesn't mean your kid has to replace you. Your ambitions in life will differ from his.
Learn to appreciate his smallest efforts. Did your little one draw a picture of a cat that doesn't look like a cat? That's okay. He's a child and will learn to improve as he grows. Appreciate his efforts and encourage him to draw a lot of other things too. This will boost your kid's self-esteem and make him a confident person. Here are 5 things you must not do to punish your child.
What are you thoughts on this? Leave your comments below!
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