5 Simple Psychological Principles for Healthy Parenting

There’s no such thing as a perfect parent, and those that already have children will be the first ones to admit that. Everyday you learn something new about yourself, your child and how to improve on how you’re raising them. If you’re planning on starting a family, there are some key factors that you need to consider. Tap into your brain and learn these psychological principles to set yourself and your child up for long term success.

5. Environment

Many people that end up having a child may not be ready, and there’s a long list of factors that come into play. One of those factors is environment, which includes the physical aspect. You want to make sure that your child has everything tangible that they need to be successful in life. It doesn’t have to be the highest end children’s toys and whatnot, but they should have at least the minimum to develop intellectually and creatively during their younger years. 

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Praise

There are some parents out there that no matter what their child does, they tend to not praise the kids. This can set a child up for a lifetime of feeling like their accomplishments aren’t worthwhile. When your child does something noteworthy, make sure to tell them that you’re proud of what they’ve done. That type of validation helps their development tremendously. It’s not a short term thing, either, as their professional and personal accomplishments as adults will boost their self esteem.

3. Conversation

Did you ever feel awkward telling your parents something while you were growing up? It’s likely because they weren’t proactive in conversation. When you start a discussion with your children and get the dialogue rolling, you’re going to learn a lot about them in every way. From what makes them tick, to their likes and dislikes and how you can be there for them in times of need. Talk, listen, and enjoy a deeper connection with your child.

2. Respect

They say that respect is earned, not given. That is all well and good when it comes to the office or professional sports. When it comes to raising a child, though, you have to show them respect from a very early age. You should respect your child in all aspects. Physically, emotionally, mentally, etc. When you show your child respect, that means that they’ll show respect to others and make healthy lifelong connections. When they become adults, they’ll have earned respect from their peers because they know how.

1. Assertiveness

The absolute biggest problem that all parents face is trying to find that balance between being too aggressive when raising a child and too passive. Aggressiveness makes your child not want to open up to you and can cause a multitude of mental issues down the road, while being too passive makes your child think they can just take whatever they want. That’s also going to be a hard lesson for them to learn down the road. It’s important to be assertive, engage in conversation with your child and make sure that they understand consequences on a deeper level, and don’t allow them to walk all over you.