Communication Between Mother and Child
The psychological, emotional, and physical bonds between a mother and her child begin to form during pregnancy. This is due to various changes that occur in the mother’s body, such as increased activity in the brain areas responsible for emotions, and a heightened instinct for protection and concern for the fetus. As a result, mothers become acutely sensitive to their child’s needs. Even in the early months of the child’s life, a mother’s swift response to her baby’s cries, especially to emotional needs, does not lead to spoiling the child as some may believe. Instead, this communication is vital for the mental health of both mother and child.
Effective Parenting Strategies
Accepting the Child
Firstly, parents should accept the child as they are and foster their self-confidence by believing in their capabilities. It is essential to support good behavior while constructively correcting any undesirable actions. Furthermore, a child should receive unconditional love, independent of their skills, achievements, or behavior. This form of love and its expression is crucial for nurturing a child responsibly; it is a common misconception to condition a child’s worthiness of love on specific actions, such as saying, “Do this for me to earn my love.”
Parents as Role Models
Being a positive role model ensures that a child embodies many of the good qualitiesparents wish to instill. It is utterly contradictory to shout at the child or break things out of anger and then ask them to remain calm and not exhibit poor behavior when faced with anger themselves.
Understanding and Communicating with the Child
Engaging in calm conversations with the child and displaying patience when they err, even if they repeat the same mistake, helps clarify the consequences of their actions. By explaining what follows a mistake and the associated repercussions, parents can guide their child towards improvement over time. This approach proves significantly more effective than punishing, humiliating, or yelling at the child.
Open communication fosters trust and connection between parents and their children, allowing children to express their feelings without fear or embarrassment. This increases their self-confidence and willingness to face challenges, explore the unknown, and develop a positive curiosity while alleviating negative shyness and fear of public speaking.
Rewarding Good Behavior
Rewards serve as powerful motivators for people of all ages, varying in importance and nature for each individual. It is vital for parents to reward their children when they display good behavior or acquire new skills. Rewards can come in various forms, such as tangible rewards—like purchasing a favorite snack or giving a small gift—or social and emotional rewards, such as playing together, inviting them to visit relatives, allowing them to play with friends, or taking them on enjoyable outings. These rewards reinforce positive behaviors and encourage children to exhibit the traits parents strive to instill continuously.
Conversely, parents should avoid reinforcing negative behaviors. Children often employ persistent tactics to get what they desire. For instance, if a child wishes to watch television longer than previously agreed upon, they may resort to crying, getting angry, or creating problems until parents relent. In such cases, it is crucial for parents not to give in to their demands, as this only reinforces bad behavior, teaching the child to obtain their needs through inappropriate methods.