For instance, your child should wake up and go to bed at the same time each day, including weekends. Have set times for things like schoolwork, chores, and even playtime. You should try to plan your meals so your child eats at about the same time every day, as well.
For instance, each morning, you might have your child potty, brush their teeth, and get dressed as soon as they get up. Bedtime routines can help make it easier for your child to fall asleep at night, and they’re a great time to quietly bond as a family. For example, each night, you might spend some time playing in your child’s room, then give your child a bath, then snuggle up and read a story once your child is in their pajamas. Kids respond well to visual reminders, so try writing out their routines on a colorful chart. You can even use stickers to keep track of how well they do!
Get your child involved in the meal. Dinner will be more fun if you allow your child to help you choose meals, prepare the food, and set the table. For instance, you might allow a younger child to wash veggies, while an older child might actually prepare a meal for the whole family. Keep dinner conversation open and light. Share details about your day and ask your child about theirs, but don’t give them the third degree. Try serving family-style meals, where your children get to choose what meal components are on their plate. This is a great chance to teach them healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime.
When you read to smaller children, it helps them learn words that they can use to describe their feelings and emotions. [5] X Research source When your child is old enough to read on their own, have them read out loud to you, instead. However, don’t focus too much on any mistakes they make—help them if they ask about a certain word, but don’t treat it like homework. Also, be sure to let them know it’s okay if they still want you to read to them sometimes. Don’t be surprised if your child wants to read the same stories over and over. This repetition is comforting to children, and it can actually help them improve their vocabulary faster than constantly reading new stories. [6] X Research source
As a bonus, extracurricular activities and sports can help boost your child’s concentration in school.
During that free time, encourage your child to play with their toys, make up creative games, play dress-up, go outside, read a book, or whatever else they like to do with their time—as long as they’re the ones in control of the time. Avoid letting your kids fill up all of their free time with screens. A little technology use during the day is fine, but too much screen time can discourage children from using their imagination. [9] X Research source It doesn’t matter if you don’t have 80 million toys for your child to play with. It’s the quality, not the quantity of the toys that counts. In fact, at times you may find that your child is more content playing with an empty toilet paper roll than the fanciest toy they own.
Encourage your children to talk to you about their day. Helping them express themselves early on can help them communicate successfully in the future.
If you respect your child, then it’s much more likely that your child will respect you back. One way to respect your child is to allow them to be exactly who they are. Do offer them guidance on how to be a good person, but don’t try to make them into the person you want them to be. [12] X Research source
Tell your child how much you love them every single day, even if you’re upset with them.
Once your child starts school, you should know what classes he’s taking and the names of his teachers. Go over your child’s homework with him and help him with any difficult tasks, but do not do it for him. As your child gets older, you can start pulling back a bit, and encouraging your child to explore his interests without you by his side all the time.
Try writing down a list of your rules, as well as the consequences that go along with breaking those rules. That way, your child will always know what will happen if they ignore your guidelines. If you and a partner are raising your child together, then you should be a united front against your children, using the same disciplinary methods. [16] X Expert Source Deanna Dawson-Jesus, CD (DONA)Birth & Postpartum Doula, Childbirth, & Lactation Educator Expert Interview. 31 July 2020. There should be no “good cop, bad cop” routine in your home.
For instance, instead of saying, “If you ride your tricycle into the street, you will have to balance this book on your head,” you might say, “If you ride your tricycle into the street, you lose the use of your tricycle for the rest of the day. " Avoid physically disciplining your children as a form of punishment. Children who are spanked, hit, or slapped are more prone to fighting with other children, and they may actually have worse behavioral problems than children who don’t get physically punished. [18] X Research source
Try pointing out things like getting good grades, making healthy choices at mealtimes, showing kindness, or overcoming a tough temptation, like not eating cookies that you accidentally left on the counter. Even something as simple as saying, “I’m so proud of you!” can go a long way to a child.
For instance, if your child is being rowdy and spills a glass of juice, have them get a towel and help you clean it up. If your child hurts a friend’s feelings, encourage them to apologize. Let your child know that everyone makes mistakes, and that how you handle those mistakes is more important than being perfect all the time.
Try not to laugh when your child is doing something bad to get attention, because that can reinforce that behavior. However, if your child does something ridiculous like getting their head stuck in a toilet seat, it’s better to laugh than to get mad at them for it.
For instance, if you tell your child it’s important not to lose their temper, but you yell and kick the wall when you’re mad, they’re probably going to have a hard time controlling their anger. Remember to only use words that you’d be okay with your child repeating. For instance, if you don’t want your child to curse, don’t say those words yourself.
For instance, if you’re watching a movie and a character seems to benefit from doing something immoral, like lying or stealing, you might have a talk later about how short-term gains won’t outweigh the long-term consequences of those actions.
For instance, you might say something like, “I understand you don’t want to stop playing with Chris, but we really have to go. If you’ll help him pick up his toys, though, we can stay for another 15 minutes, if his mom says it’s okay. "
For instance, at snack time, you might ask your child something like, “Would you like an apple or an orange for snack today?” If you have an older child, you might let them pick out their clothes when you go school shopping.
For example, if your child comes home and tells you that their friend Jimmy was mean at school, you might talk about what happened and try to figure out why Jimmy might have been feeling at the time. Do this in your own interactions, as well. If a waitress forgets your order in a restaurant, don’t tell your child that she’s lazy or stupid. Instead, point out how tired she must be after spending all day on her feet.
