Leading Them to Success: How to Be a Good Parent to Your Children

Although parenting today is vastly different than it was twenty or thirty years ago, almost 50% of new parents still look to their family members for advice. They go to their spouses, siblings, and parents for advice on how to be a good parent.

The second most popular source of information for new parents is the internet. Almost 20% of new parents look to Mom blogs and Mom influencers for parenting advice.

If you’re a new parent and looking for parenting tips, keep reading.

Teach by Your Actions

One of the top characteristics of a good parent is that they teach through actions, not just words. Children tend to mimic what their parents do so it is important to set the example.

If you want your children to be kind, let them see kindness in you. You can say please and thank you all day long, but if they see you rolling your eyes or hear you stomping your feet after, the words come to mean very little.

Always be conscious of little ones listening and watching you. The way you treat others, put in extra effort, or go out of your way to be helpful are all learning lessons.

Let Children Make Mistakes

Part of being a parent is learning that you can’t do everything for your children. At some point, they need to do things on their own. To be a better parent, let them do things and make mistakes.

Through their mistakes, children will learn more than if parents protect them from mistakes. Keep them safe first, but let them learn what doesn’t work to discover what does.

Allow Children to Witness Love in Action

Children repeat what they witness. Letting them see loving actions between parents, grandparents, and other people in their lives helps them see what love is.

More Values

Rules are important, but learning values is, too. If the rules aren’t teaching lessons and adding value to a child’s life, they are less likely to understand the importance of them.

For example, when a teenager learns to drive, they must learn the rules. But the rules of the road are related to the value we place on life – both ours and others. Teen car accidents are more likely when young drivers don’t value life.

Have Conversations

As children get older, it is more important to have conversations with them. If you start early – even before they can talk – children will see conversation as normal.

You can have more in-depth conversations with your children as they get older. To be a good parent, talk about the music they listen to, the movies, they watch, and the decisions they have to make.

Being a Good Parent Takes a Lot of Thought

Everything you do and say in front of your children can affect the way they talk, think, and act. That’s a lot of pressure to be a good parent.

Remember that everyone makes mistakes, though. No one is a perfect parent. Just think about your words and actions and take time to talk to your children about them.

Want more parenting articles? Check out the Relationships category on our blog.