Let it be a success or a failure of a person, his/her parenting from childhood will definitely have something to do with it. We could never ever imagine the weight of parenting in our daily life actions. As a parent, it is your duty to shower love and look after your child’s mental health. Every single word you utter, every single act you perform, and every single step you make leaves a footprint on your child’s behavior.
Parents mustn’t take their children for granted and so shouldn’t children. Many think that parenting doesn’t need efforts, all they worry about is when their children are toddlers because they have to run after the kids to feed them and have to control them from screaming and crying. But real parenting starts after the toddler stage. There is so much to be careful about.
This is what parents can do to enhance their child’s mental health.
Acknowledge their small achievements:
Reward and recognition are two great reinforcements for kids and also for adults. When your kid comes to you with enthusiasm to show you something he/she did, just stop what you are doing for a minute and give them all your attention. Compliment them and gift something they like.
Do not pamper and overprotect:
Overprotecting and pampering more are two discouraging actions done by some parents. When you overprotect, it makes your child over sensitive, this can inject anxiety. Some freedom is necessary, let them enjoy little things. Pampering makes the child stubborn, he/she will grow up to be a person who is not flexible and adaptive.
Do not scold or compare them with others in public:
Scolding them in front of friends, neighbors, relatives, or colleagues, is not a good thing to do. They feel insulted and inferior. Comparing your kids with others makes them feel less capable. I f you want to make them understand something do it subtly in a closed room without comparing them with others.
Trust your kids:
Yes, it is important to take care of your kids, because sometimes they might land in a situation where they involuntarily fall down by taking bad decisions. But trust them with everything, do not spy. Your trust in them makes them stronger and will drive them towards a brighter side of their life. That is a greater gift you could give them. Restrict them when necessary.
These are a few ways to enrich your child’s mental health. Love them unconditionally despite the mess they have made and the chaos they have created. After all, parenting is all about love.
