Effective Parenting: From Birth Through Elementary

These are the fun years, those wrought with pleasant memories, happy times, and fun activities. Aside from the small issues that every parent will face when a child tries to explore the boundaries of discipline, experiments with bad behavior and the like, this is usually a pleasant and comforting period. It is this period that forms the behavior of teens and the type of person that your are creating as each day goes by.

This article was designed to help parents focus on the good things and educate them on the bad. Only through this can they successfully raise a child from birth through elementary. Below are a few tips on effective parenting.

Effective Parenting: Rules and Guidelines

There are still some parents that believe that boundaries and rules don't work and that children are better off doing what they want when they want. This is the reason society still has many teen drop outs, pregnancies, and criminal activity that leads to a life of confusion and destruction.

By setting these things into place you are reinforcing effective parenting. You are letting your child know that you love them and care what happens to them in their adult life. As a parent it is your job to make sure that they do not become criminals and it is your responsibility to enforce discipline. Unfortunately may parents care more about being 'liked' as a friend instead of being loved as a parent.

Effective Parenting: Reward System

This system is a good way to impose rewards and punishment if you are unsure as to how to go about it. If used consistently, it can have significantly positive results. This shows the children how much better it is to do right and how awful it can be to do wrong. This offers a clear idea as to what is expected out of them and how important it is to obey.

Obeying is essential for every child to learn and the younger the better. They will understand early on that laws are put into place for a reason, some boundaries should never be crossed, and it can be a rewarding experience to behave and do as they are told... only then will they truly get satisfaction.

Effective Parenting: Standing Firm

No matter how difficult it can be, and trust me it can be quite difficult, you must stand firm on your rules. If you allow a child to break a rule without consequence then you are setting the stage for it to happen more often and to a much larger degree.

By ensuring that you are serious and that you take your parenting job serious your child will grow to respect you and your decisions regarding their life. They will also care what you think about them and strive to do right by you.

If you allow children to get away with murder then you are showing them that this is what the real world is like as well. They will constantly try to get away with crimes and think of it more of a forte then a problem. This is a major factor in a typical criminal's background.

Effective Parenting: Bonding

This is so very important to your child for a bond to take place and be reinforced everyday. This is a simple thing that can be a reading a bedtime story, talking at the dinner table, having a family day/night, dancing, singing, making crafts, you name it. If you find that you are simply too busy to make time for this vital experience then perhaps you should think about allowing a more loving couple to raise your child. Being busy is one thing but there should be allotted time to make sure that bonding is a normal way of life regardless of your 'to do' list.

If you can not bond with your child then you are setting him/her up for failure in their own relationships, trouble in their careers and often allow a violent streak to form as an 'acting out' behavior hoping to catch your attention. You will not just be affecting this child's life but all those around him/her in the future. It is your responsibility and if you can not or will not make time then perhaps you should not be raising a child.

Effective Parenting: In Closing

Using effective parenting skills from birth through elementary can prove a bit trying for some but it is well worth the effort. Our kids deserve good parents that are dedicated to their well being... if more parents thought this way then many deaths, criminal behavior and gang activity could be avoided. We owe it to our kids to make sure they are raised in a healthy happy home and not lost in a big wide world that doesn't care about them.