Most people will agree that parenting greatly impacts the type of person a child will grow up to be. So, overcoming parenting challenges is necessary to give your children the best chance at success.
However, parenting is filled with challenges to the point where it can feel like walking through a minefield. How can you avoid and even overcome these?
Keep reading to discover some common challenges and find solutions for dealing with them.
Work/Family Balance
Balancing work and family is tricky. You need to do well enough at work that your family will be provided for. However, you also need to take time away from work to spend with your family. Too much time at work creates an absent parent, which creates many problems for the children involved.
One simple solution to this is to schedule time together. Even if it is a bit inconvenient, make sure you spend at least a little time with your children each day. This could be as simple as eating a meal together or playing a board game together.
Sometimes, work isn't the only thing creating an imbalance in your life. Plenty of other things can distract you from your time with your children. Reducing the amount you need to do here is also helpful.
In these cases, learning how to turn people down politely is important. If your friend wants you to look at apartments with them, consider how much time you have spent with your family recently. If you haven't been spending enough time with them, find a way to tell your friend you won't be able to make it.
Translating this skill into your work life will help you maintain a proper work/family balance. In most cases, avoiding extra work on the job will not sink your career. In fact, it may not have any impact at all. However, if avoiding this work allows you to spend more time with your children, it will significantly impact their lives.
Strong family bonds can help you overcome several parenting hurdles. Take a look at our Activities for Kids, Adults, and Family, and choose which ones your family will enjoy!
Set Limits
Giving in to your kids is easy. When they are crying and demanding an extra treat, just giving them the treat will stop their crying. However, giving in like this has consequences.
First, it teaches children that they can get what they want by making a scene. With this information, they don't need to listen to you. Instead, they know how to make you listen to them.
In addition, it isn't good for your children to give in to them. There is probably a reason you are telling them they can or can't do something that they do not understand. For example, they might see no problem with skipping dinner and going to dessert, but you know that doing so isn't healthy for them.
To avoid this problem, it is important to set firm limits. Tell them what you expect from them and what will happen if they disobey. Then, make sure to follow through with what you initially said. When you do this, though, don't do it in a mean way. Be firm but understanding. For example, you can sit down with your child who wants to skip dinner and teach them the importance of making good food choices. They may still be upset, but they will understand that you aren't just doing this to be mean. Plus, they learn more along the way.
Don't Try to Be the Best
Everyone wants to be the best parent in the world. However, when a parent tries to be the best parent, they often lose sight of how to be a good parent. In these cases, social media is often to blame. It is easy to compare yourself with others on social media, but doing so is bad for your mental health.
Plus, it creates unrealistic standards. You may see someone on social media who seems to have time to do all sorts of things with their kids. However, you often won't see that they can only do this because they have the money to hire a full-time housekeeper to take care of all their other chores. Everyone's situation is different, so comparisons like these are not good for anyone.
Instead, stick with what you know. Simple things like wellness challenges and just spending time with your kids are as helpful as elaborate family vacations. You don't have to compare yourself with anyone as long as you are happy and your kids are happy.
Related: The Best Gift You Can Give Your Kids
Give Kids the Tools They Need
As a parent, you provide for your children. However, you will not do so forever. There will come a day when they must strike out independently. Because of this, you must give them the tools they need to handle the world independently.
This starts with education. Having a good education doesn't guarantee someone will have a good life. However, it makes the potential for success easier to achieve. With a good education under their belts, your children will have an easier time getting a high-paying job they enjoy and will also have more knowledge in everyday life.
Other tools come from the life skills everyone needs. Most schools don't explain how to do your taxes or what to do if your bathroom sink stops working. These are places where you can step in and provide some additional knowledge.
Finally, don't forget about tools that will allow your children to live healthy lives. Instilling good exercise and eating habits while your children are young often carries on throughout the rest of their lives. So, taking regular time for family yoga and preparing a few healthy meals will have a greater impact than you realize.
Get Past Common Parenting Challenges
Being a good parent comes with its fair share of challenges. However, none of these are too tough for you to handle. Knowing the challenges is half the battle; the other half is coming up with a solution that will work for you.
Encouraging healthy living is a great way to ensure your children are set up for the future. Sign up for our Free Membership Plan and access more of our wellness activities for kids!
