What is Good Parenting: Tips, Importance, Examples & Principles

Raising kids is a challenging endeavour and requires an indispensable mixture of care, understanding, decision, and precision. It is also one of the most difficult parts of parenting. Each child is distinct in their behaviour; this is because they are raised and guided distinctively. So, Principles of good parenting involves adapting to different parenting styles as per your child’s necessities.

To learn more about what it is and principles that involves positive parenting, read on further.

Good parenting is a broad concept that focuses on your child's overall well-being and health. It includes parents living their life as role models for their children. It is a combination of interactions and actions you are having with your child in daily life.

Moreover, parenting acts as a basic foundation for your child’s positive and healthy development. It starts from nurturing your child to attending to their social, mental, physical, and emotional needs.

There is no defined set of rules for proper parenting. It requires practice and patience to develop the parenting skills required for nurturing your child emotionally, socially as well as academically. However, there are some principles of good parenting that might help you with raising your child in a brilliant way.

1. It Matters What You Do

Kids observe their parents' every move very carefully and learn from it. So everything you do matters, whether it’s your behaviour with others, how you treat others, or how you react in difficult times. So, before making any move, ensure your kid will learn to behave the same way.

2. Listen to Your Child

Most parents spend time with their children while talking to them, rather than listening to them. But listening to your child with full, undivided attention is important to learn more about what your child is feeling and thinking. So, one of the most important qualities of a good parent is that they listen to their children often. This makes them feel more connected with their child.

3. Connect Often with Them

Good parents consciously connect with their children often by spending time with them in myriad ways.

4. Remain Involved in Your Child’s Life

Managing your time effectively and getting involved in your child’s life are other positive parenting principles  you must keep in check. Whether it’s laughing, playing a game, reading a book, or simply watching a movie, just be with your child side-by-side. Thus, it is important for you to rearrange your priorities and make yourself available for your child both physically and mentally.

5. Adapt Your Parenting Style as Per Your Child’s Needs

Ensure to keep pace with your child’s nurturing and development. Every child is unique, thus their needs will also be unique. Try different parenting styles to check which fits your child’s requirements and evolve and adapt yourself to meet your child's needs.

6. Set Rules and Stay Firm on Them

If you want to instil good qualities and behaviour in your child, then it is significant to set rules for them and stay firm on them from a very early age. Make acquainted with them with the consequences of breaking the rules. Also, state to them clearly what is acceptable and what is not, as this will shape their future.

7. Be Consistent with Them

Don’t vary your disciplinary actions in an unpredictable way from day to day. Good parenting cannot be established in a single day. It depends upon your daily actions. So, identify what is non-negotiable to you and keep pace in dealing with it in the same way as earlier. Thus, being consistent with your child sets examples of good parenting.

8. Promote Your Child’s Independence

It is essential to give your child some independence as you will not be always there to solve their problems every time. So, if you control all their life decisions, this will make them even more disobedient or rebellious. However, if you provide them with some independence, it will boost their confidence level and will develop in them a sense of direction.

9. Treat Your Child Always Respectfully

Respect is always earned and cannot be demanded. So, if you want that your child respects your decision and rules, first you need to respect your child’s. Try to treat your child politely and respectfully so that they learn to respond in the same manner.

10. Show Them That You Love Them

Another important quality of good parents is to be affectionate towards their kids. Take out time from your busy schedules to show your kids that you love them through small gestures, be it writing a note for them, preparing their favourite food for them, etc. This will strengthen your connection with your child.

11. Keep Track of Them

It is significant yet crucial for you to track what your child is doing and what they are going through from time to time when away from you. This is not just important for your child’s safety, but it also tracks how as a person, your child is growing up and what behaviour they are inculcating in them.

12. Be Reasonable With Your Decisions

Don’t try to impose your decisions on your kids. Explain them with reasons why you have set a particular rule or taken a particular decision and what will be its impact or outcome. Proving your decisions wisely rather than forcefully implementing those entails one of the most effective tips for good parenting.

13. Avoid Being Harsh in Your Disciplinary Strategies

Punishing is important for your child when they are breaking the rules but avoid being aggressive or harsh with them every time they make a mistake. Rather than committing any physical punishment like slapping, try to opt for a healthy one.

Thus, if you are aware of the principles that involves good parenting, you will also come to know the importance of good parenting. This will help you identify your child’s interests and needs at their best, and you will be able to raise your kid more empathetically.