When it comes to your child’s performance in school, your concern as a parent is obvious and rightly so. One question that might bother you from time-to-time is how to make sure that your child is learning what’s being taught in the school. There are numerous things that can be done to make sure that your child succeeds in academics including early development of healthy reading habits to easy-to-follow homework schedules. However, there are certain things that often go unnoticed but are actually blunders that you might make as a parent. The following is a compiled list of such mistakes that must not be a part of your parenting style. These will also ensure indirectly that your child succeeds in his education.
Loopholes In Parenting Styles That Can Cause Trouble
Burying Your Child Under Your Expectations
As parents, it is in our innate instinct to want what we think is best for our kids and while doing so, we often cross the line. Yes, there is a fine line between expecting something from your children and imposing your expectations as the only option available for them. Expecting good grades is absolutely fine. However, if your child is constantly struggling with his academics to keep up with the expected results, it’s time you should talk to them and listen to what they have to say.
Criticising Critically For Poor Performance
Constructive criticism is essential for the growth and development of children. However, critical criticism that leaves them with overwhelming emotions of not feeling good enough or extreme self-doubt is an act of sabotaging your child’s self-confidence.
Like adults, children too, deal with their own set of issues and concerns that are often not expressed. Under such circumstances, critical criticism from their parents can leave them feeling unwanted, misunderstood and lonely. These emotions can have severe consequences over time that may last a lifetime.
Neglecting Their Privacy
Parents today, especially in our country, should try and understand the importance of privacy. You might not have got the privacy you craved for when you were a teenager but it is necessary that you do not intrude on your child’s privacy. Allowing privacy doesn’t necessarily refer to all the obvious things that instantly come to our minds. In fact, encouraging your child to take charge of their money matters, decision making, and spending time alone to know themselves better is one of the best ways to encourage and respect their privacy.
Avoid Bribing With Rewards
It is extremely easy to bribe your child into doing things that you want them to do. However, blatantly bribing them with rewards to do the right things will eventually turn to a functional habit and get them addicted to it.
One may notice slow development of selfish, stubborn and unempathetic behaviour as a consequence of bribing with rewards. In fact, there might come a time where your child would stop respecting you as a parent and only keep ties with you because they find material benefit from you.
Thus, avoid bribing them materialistically as much as possible. You train your child’s mind. Make sure to plant the right seeds.
Being Constantly Unsatisfied
It is obvious that your kid won’t always surprise you by going beyond your expectations but overtly showing your dissatisfaction or unsurprised reaction can push your child in a shell. Do not always ask your child to try harder or do better. Give them the satisfaction of feeling worthy. That will, in turn, push them to do better the next. If you keep implying your higher expectations and constant dissatisfaction, chances are, your child will even stop sharing about his wins and losses.
BONUS. Neglecting The Real Problem
Neglecting is never the right way to go about a situation especially when it involves your children. Your children are most sensitive to your reactions to every problem, if you ignore it and do not understand its importance, the consequences might not be warm for your child. Even if you want your child to handle things independently, do not make them feel like you haven’t got their back.
Every parent has their own parenting style to ensure their child’s success at school as well as at other things. Regardless of their personal parenting styles, these general tips stand correct under all circumstances. Apart from the above mentioned suggestions, make sure you don’t compare your kids with other children and give them the necessary time and attention to grow at their own pace, in their own way.
