Modern Parenting

I love watching The Ngee Show and recently watched her video on Modern Parenting, you can watch it here. Below are the points she touched on with respect to modern parenting.

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Tips to Hold on to as a Modern Parent

1. You are a Parent not a friend

LM Opinion: I think you can be a Parent who is also a friend, but definitely do not shy away from playing your first role which is to be a parent. Your child can have many friends who might come and go but they will only have you as his or her parent. 

2. Don’t give them everything they ask for

LM Opinion: If you give your child everything they want and ask for then you will carry the final result o! Children need to be guided and trained in the right way and it is your job to filter what they ask for and what they get. They will thank you later and even if they don’t…you did your job as a parent. 

3. Curb their sense of entitlement early

LM Opinion: A child who gets what he or she wants when he or she wants will grow up to think that it is his or her right to get things. Remember you need to give your child something to look forward to and a pouting, temperamental child when she doesn’t get her way is not a joy to be around for anyone. Parents whether you have a lot or a little what you provide for your child needs to be seen as a luxury and not a right. 

4. When you see something with them you did not buy, ask

LM Opinion: Be sure to teach your child to be content with what they have and you must be sure to catch it early if your child has wandering eyes or as Ngee put it “sticky fingers”. It is better you deal with this early before your child grows up taking other people’s things just because he sees it and wants it. 

5. Check your Child’s body regularly

LM OPinion: Scarily there are some children whose parents do not get to give them a bath or dress them up because the nanny does everything. The nanny gets them ready for school, by bedtime has gotten them showered and changed for bed. If this is is you make the time to change this, many times it’s at bath time and changing times you notice a scratch or a bruise. Or you notice that he or she mentions if someone touched them inappropriately (Parents educate your children about what part of their body should not be touched by anyone). 

6. Listen to other people’s opinion about your child

LM Opinion: In the pre-modern parenting days it truly took a village to raise a child, nowadays we have evolved to a mind my business culture, but as parents and individuals we all have blind spots and there will be things that you miss just because you cannot do it all by yourself. So be sure to listen and get other peoples comments when it is is shared, it could be the teacher, a neighbor who saw or heard something listen and decide what to do with the information. 

7. Its not about what they have but what they do with it

LM Opinion: This is a big one we live in such a materialistic world and ha Lagos! Lets teach our children that it is not about what they have that makes them who they are. Children should never equate their worth based on material goods…the best teacher for this is you the parent. If they see you behave a certain way to those who have or don’t have, then this is what they will emulate and grow up with. 

8. Don’t let your Child sit on anybody’s lap

LM Opinion: There are some people out there who will want to destroy the innocence of children and you cannot vouch for everyone. Since it can be tough to differentiate for young children that they can sit on this Aunt but not that Uncle it is probably better to just have a simple rule in place…do not sit on anyone’s lap. After all lap sitting doesn’t show more respect! Greet and go.

9. Don’t leave your young child unattended in the car

LM Opinion: Just don’t, it is dangerous and unsafe

10. Bring up your child in the way of the Lord

LM Opinion: Raising children in the way of the Lord will give then a platform and path on which to live their lives. If Parents don’t give the framework based on godly principles then the world will take your place as a teacher and you wouldn’t want that. Children learn from examples so if you don’t show the right example you risk turning them off from the faith you are showing. 

What do you think about Modern Parenting?