T.D. Jakes shares some parenting tips in this video below that are very useful to keep in mind on the parenting journey.
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Parenting Tips
- There is no one right way to raise children. All children are different and so there is no one right way to raise your children. You will continually tweak the process. Parenting is and should be a learning process.
- Be There – There is no replacement for being there and for being present in your child’s life. If you are not present there is no way you can have the right influence.
- Work at It – Parenting is not easy, it also does not follow any cookie cut formula. So you will need to be willing to work at it and continue to improve. Parenting is a skill that can be improved!
- Be Intentional – Yes parents need to be intentional, what you do in the early years will have everything to do with your child’s future destiny so keep this in mind as you raise them. Parenting builds upon what you do early in your child’s life.
- Every child is different – Parent to match each child. Every child is different and the parenting style needs to match each child. Factors such as the neighbourhood, temperament and culture matter and will play a part in moulding his or her character. As a parent you need to be aware of these and make your parenting work for your child.
- Match their World – Match the world and the reality of your child. Do not parent based on theory or based on how you wish your child is. Know their world, understand how they feel and what they are experiencing so that you can stay relevant.
- Do not be too Busy – Too many parents are busy and do not take the time to be engaged fully in their child’s life. Do not expect what you will not inspect. This means that if you do not invest the time to be there and to understand what is going on with your child you might be very shocked at the outcome you get.
- Be Involved – Call it nosey if you want but you have to get involved in your child’s life. Ask questions, know who they are talking to, know what they do online and on social media. Ask for their passwords and monitor what they do. Remember if you do not inspect then you might be suprised with what you get.
- Open Communication – The saying “you have two ears and one mouth because you should listen more than you talk” applies to parenting as well. Communication must be a dialogue not a monologue. Listen to your children when they talk and hear what they are saying. [Tweet “Communication must be a dialogue not a monologue. “]
- Trust Must be Earned – Let your child understand that trust must be earned, they cannot be good just once and expect you to trust them. Let them understand they must exhibit good behaviour consistently to earn your trust.
