You must avoid losing your authority no matter what. Once your children realize that there is really nothing backing up what you say it can be difficult to regain control. In addition to this, you shouldn't lose your cool in front your kids. If you feel it is unavoidable, send them to their room and calm yourself down however possible.
Raising teenagers can be a challenging task, but there are some approaches that may help. For example, instead of lecturing them you should try to discuss issues with them. Make the teenager feel free to speak, provide an open forum to exchange ideas. You will find this positive approach to parenting will work wonders with your teen.
Make sure your pre-schooler still gets a nap everyday. A child at that age still needs plenty of rest, in order to stay in a good mood. You might encounter resistance from him during nap time, but if your young child does not take his nap, he will be very cranky by dinner time.
When your child starts school it is important to make sure that they know what to expect. If at all possible you should take your child on a tour of their school before they attend. This will help them to feel prepared and may help relieve some of the anxiety they may be experiencing.
Something every parent should make sure to do is to listen to their children. It is simply not enough to be a physical presence for your child, you must also communicate with them, and that communication should go both ways. Take time out to listen to what your children have to say and talk to them, rather than at them.
Be consistent. Children function better when they know what is going to happen during the day, especially young children. A huge change in schedule or no schedule will give you very crabby children. They will feel like they are out of control, and they will show you that in their behavior.
Whether you are a set of parents living in the same home or separate homes, you are going to need to work together as a team when it comes to everything about your child. Learn to disagree in a civil manner, and find ways to resolve any differences quietly and in the best interest of your child.
In order for your teenagers to get along with you, trust is very important. If you try to accuse your teen of things that they may in fact be doing, it is only going to make your relationship worse. You must trust them; in turn they will respect and have such a great relationship with you that they wouldn't want to do anything to disappoint you.
As mentioned above, no matter what parenting style you choose, you can make it more effective when you seek out new ideas. The key to thoughtful parenting is to recognize that you can always use fresh ideas to make sure your parenting skills are right for you and your child.
