The Six Key Factors in Back to Basics Parenting
1. Love Them To Bits
You can never tell your child too often that you love them – even when your teenager rolls their eyes and pretends they aren’t interested! Knowing that they are loved and cherished unconditionally gives them the security to flourish and grow.
2. Let Them Know Where They Stand
Consistent and fair boundaries and rules are the building blocks of a happy family. Children are not small adults just waiting to grow up, they need to be taught and guided by their parents. There is nothing more terrified, not to mention unpleasant to be around, than a self-centred, omnipotent child.
3. Let Them Be Kids
Getting dirty, playing and being silly without too many pressures and responsibilities is what being a kid is all about.
4. Let Them Explore And Learn About Their World
The world isn’t a scary place, let your kids enjoy it. Give them the space to take managed risks, fall over and possibly scratch themselves and to learn from these events. They need to be able to explore the world in order to build genuine resilience and self confidence. It will help them to realise just how capable they really are, and provides enormous benefits when they hit the real world on their own.
5. Offer And Expect Honesty And Respect
Remember, this is a two-way street. Model the behaviour you expect to receive from them.
6. Stop Trying To Be Perfect!
Your kids will breath a huge sigh of relief when you stop trying to be perfect–it means that they don’t need to be. Kids learn so much from seeing how you deal with screw ups, apologise and sort things out–don’t deprive them of this!