Parenting is considered the most challenging task since it requires patience, understanding, and strength to raise a kid. Every parent has their unique way of raising their children.
Parents are the primary role model and most influential people in the lives of young children. Children, from birth, rely on and look up to their parents.
The parent-child relationship is a crucial component in a child’s brain development. Children benefit the most when their parents are supportive and share a good and positive parent-child relationship.
As the research paper in human development published by havard.edu clearly shows that the seeds of empathy, caring, and compassion are present from early in life, but that to become caring, ethical people, children need families and adults to help them at every stage of childhood to nurture these seeds into full development.
Having a supportive parent automatically boosts your child’s self-esteem level. They feel more confident in everything they do because they know that their parents support their decisions.
So, as a parent, you need to be supportive and instill these qualities earlier so your children can adapt to the different situations and properly handle them as they will likely face as they grow up.
If you are curious about what supportive parenting means and how to help your children by being supportive parents, here is the article mentioning some tips for removing your thirst regarding these topics.
What is supportive parenting?
In the field of parenting, parental support is the key dimension for effective parenting. Parental support is defined as the parental behaviors towards their child, such as praising them, encouraging them, and showing them physical affection, indicating that they are accepted and loved. Supportive parenting includes:
- Directly or indirectly encouraging them to do their best whether in their hobbies, interests or with their studies
- Listening to them without any judgment and trying to understand their concerns and problems
- acknowledging their achievements and praising them for their efforts
- Helping them to set realistic goals and achieving them
- Giving them time and developing a good and trusting bond
So as parents, you tend to do your best to raise them, nurture, protect, guide them, and prepare your child for independence just like every other supportive parent does.
Thus, having supportive parents benefits your child in the far-reaching of their life and helps your child better handle stressful situations, their own emotions, and make them capable of regulating their behavior and getting along with others.
10 Tips for Parents On Supporting Their Child While Growing Up
Be a strong moral role model and mentor of your child
Parents are considered the primary role model for every child. Children tend to learn everything that is happening around them.
Watching you doing something such as admitting your mistake, apologizing, and showing how you can avoid such mistakes in the future, your child pays close attention to your manners and actions.
This picture will encourage your child to do the same. You need to remember that what you do is what they will become.
Your aim has to show your child good manners, humility, and honesty. Your child will always look up to you or constantly seek your support if you earned their trust and respect.
Make a time for them
Every parent has many commitments, and juggling all of them is no easy feat. But your children desperately need you to be there for them.
Some occasions, such as your child’s school play that might not seem that important to you, can mean a lot for your child. Every child wishes to have someone close to them, especially at a moment like this.
Even if you have a good reason to miss out on your child’s school play, try to create an intentional time where you both engage in an activity they enjoy.
Making time for them from your busy schedule, playing with them, decorating home together for holidays, watching or teaching something new to them will demonstrate your support.
Invest in additional education
Many parents are concerned about their children, especially about their studies. Every parent feels a bit anxious about it, which is natural and understandable because you have doubtlessly already invested a lot of effort, time, and possibly money in securing the best education for your child.
But if you still feel you could do more, then without a doubt invest in additional education for your child, such as sending them to the evening class or summer school or even encouraging them for online learning.
Be available for them rather than on social media
As a working parent, managing workload and household chores can be a little bit tense. You could not give your child enough time as they need.
It can cause a misunderstanding between you and your child and creates a negative impact on your child. So as a parent, it is your responsibility to handle such situations calmly and normally.
Try to focus on giving quality time rather than quantity time. Whenever you are home after your work, try to convert your screen time to your family time.
Be available for your child, ask them what they have done in a whole day, and try to understand their feeling or what they are frustrated about. The key to becoming a supportive parent is about seeking to understand your child’s world.
Be open and askable
A child is more curious about different things than people of other ages. Children, by nature, are curious and are always eager to learn. For them, everything is a wonder.
And being a parent, you can play a significant role in removing the thirst of their curiosity since every child’s curiosity is first focused on their parents.
Children feel supported and confident when they know their parents are there for them, caring and encouraging them to grow. Your child develops a sense of belonging in your family.
Thus, when you help them explore new things, providing knowledge about them, you create a strong bond with them and an environment of support and help them feel like they belong. Ultimately, you’re preparing your child for the future.
Boost your child’s self-esteem
Confidence is the greatest gift a child can receive from their parents. Children with self-esteem are confident, believe in themselves, and have a positive image of themselves. A child’s confidence built in their early childhood determines how they would succeed later in life.
Parents play an essential role in building up their child’s self-esteem. Receiving some appreciation words such as “keep it up” or “proud of you” from parents works like a gem for building up your child’s self-confidence. Children feel thrilled when their parents appreciate them, support them and acknowledge their work.
Help your child to set realistic goals
Children often tend to do everything that they are asked for regardless of their interests. They are not mature enough to determine what they want to do or about their interests.
So being supportive parents, you need to analyze them very closely and figure out their field of interest, whether it’s dancing, singing, painting, games, sports, or something else.
You can play a significant role in sharpening and strengthening their passion or interest in their aims directly or indirectly.
Help them to set goals and timelines that your child can complete. Remember, it’s all about progress, not perfection. And use your child’s favorite activities as a reward for showing effort and progress.
Tell them sometimes it’s okay to make a mistake
Nobody is perfect in what they do regardless of years and years of experience. If people make mistakes, then children making a mistake is not a big deal.
But most of the children do not understand it and end up hurting their sentiments. They may think they are good for nothing that may create frustration in a child. And frustration is the root cause of anger and is directly related to depression.
Do you want your child frustrated? The straightforward answer of every parent would be “of course not.” So one of the best ways to support your child is by making them realize that sometimes it’s okay to make a mistake and helping them to understand that failure and learning from it is just a part of childhood that every other child does.
Help them to relax
Everyone sometimes needs to switch off. Similarly, for your child, taking some time off from studying is also important. This is another easy way to support your child’s development, not only mentally but also physically.
Giving some time off from academic discussion, enjoying family time together, exploring new things, visiting new places, or letting them enjoy themselves with their friends can boost their social interaction and also helps in building self-confidence.
Reward them for good results
Acknowledging your child’s success and praising them for their efforts and dedication is the best way to motivate and support your child. For this, you can implement the rule of reward system whenever your child brings home top grades or excellent feedback.
Final thoughts:
Childhood is such an essential phase in our life where most of our personality is shaped. Your children need you to foster their confidence, and it is hard for your child to develop it without consistent support.
So as a parent, you must start paying attention to your child’s development and help them the best way you possibly can to build their self-esteem, encourage them and be supportive parents.
When you start showing interest or talking about their interest with them, it fascinates them and reassures your child that they can confide in you.
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