8 commandments of a positive parenting

Parenting is a vital environmental aspect that affects individual development within the family unit. Research shows that parenting styles are strongly linked to children’s well-being, self-esteem, anxiety and depression. A child’s brain is like an empty canvas that needs to be filled; it is up to the parents to provide the tools for shaping their minds into something beautiful.Parents play a major role in their kids’ emotional growth and mental health as they are important models of learning.
Positive parenting promotes lovingly guiding and nurturing children with empathy and respect for them as individuals. It also advocates for constructive discipline which helps establish strong healthy parent-child relationships. These fundamental principles are usually referred to as “P”s of positive parenting as follows:
Be present: It means being available for your kids emotionally and physically through listening, participating in their activities and providing a stable environment. This love makes children feel safe and cherished thereby preventing any emotional or behavioural issues to be ignored.
Patience: The ability to control responses and emotions especially during challenging situations is what patience involves. Allowing time and consistent effort is necessary to realise that children are learning and developing. Choosing patience over anger helps approach discipline more constructively as well as problem solving.
Praise: The best way of promoting self-worth as well as self-confidence can be done by giving specific genuine appreciation for positive behaviour.

Positivity: Having a positive attitude as well as focusing on the strengths of your child requires use of positive language in creating an environment where happiness can thrive at home. Positive outlook lowers the impact of stress or anxiety that might arise from a stressful environment thus promoting resilience.
Play: Play is an important aspect that helps in a child's growth as it enables them to learn good communication skills, problem-solving techniques and inventiveness. In other words, lack of interaction means detachment but play enhances parent-child relationships.
Predictability: Creating consistent schedules and clear expectations will establish the feeling of safety and stability at home. Predictable surroundings makes the child feel relaxed about what they should do to reduce anxiety and behavioural problems. Chaos and unpredictability can be a source of tension leading to insecurity.
Problem-solving: Teaching children how to solve their own problems involves enabling them to comprehend their emotions, critical thinking and conflict resolution. Encouraging problem solving skills increases self-reliance and confidence too.
Partnership: Involving children in decision-making processes. It empowers the child to have respect for themselves first and develop autonomy among them.

Persistence: Persistence promotes positive behaviour and fosters a positive attitude as opposed to confusion, which may result from inconsistent parenting and hamper behavioural guidance.
Positive parenting practices can help parents to reverse negative trends by creating an affectionate environment that supports their children’s emotional, social and intellectual development. By adopting this proactive approach, families develop better relationships and long-term outcomes that are healthier which consequently enable parents to reinforce much better their children’s welfare.