Be a better person, be a better parent! - Green Eggs & Moms | Green Eggs & Moms
From the archive. This post was first published on the original Green Eggs and Moms blog and is kept here as it was.
One of the scariest things on earth isn’t an encounter with the 3rd of 4th kind.. it’s actually parenting! Nod if you agree.
But why is it so scary if all you have to do is discipline kids by telling them what to do (or in many cases, what not to do)? That’s because directing little ones is neither simple nor easy. And there’s so much at stake!
How difficult is parenting?
How many times do you have to say “please” before your 3 year old does what you ask her to? How easy is it for you to eat vegetables you hate in front of your 5 year old so he’ll learn to eat healthy? How can you teach your 8 year old to properly deal with stressful situations if you get easily overwhelmed?
See, if as adults you aren’t who you want your kids to be, it would be mighty challenging for you to impart lessons and to lead by example. How nerve-wracking is that?
Here come the parenting tips
Now, many parenting tips will tell you that to teach patience, for example, you must be zen-like, even if your child is running amock screaming in your living room. Sounds easy on paper right? Right! But what the tip fails to mention is how you are to remain zen in times of chaos.
Sure the tip will probably say count to ten or close your eyes if you feel a scream coming up. But come, on! Really? That only works once or twice a day. What the tip should really tell you is how to effectively understand the reason behind you wanting to shout when you’re child is down on the floor, kicking and screaming.
Understanding yourself to be a better parent
If you know how and why your own furstrations and anger affect your interactions with your children, then you can manage your emtions better and respond in a more loving but firm way. (Yes, scream-free parenting is possible.)
So here’s what I’m really saying. As one of the first few posts, I thought this would be an appropriate topic. I myself have had problems controlling my temper with my 4 year old, so I resolved to understand my own anger and frustrations, and how they control my actions. What for? To have a better relationship with my son. And I think you should do the same.
How did I improve myself?
By reading this book called The Anger Trap by Les Carter, which you can get from Amazon.com. I loved each and every chapter because Mr. Carter gives great insight to how you can use your emotions to effectively and postitively control your actions. This book really helped me a lot and I hope it helps you too.
Happy parenting!
Photo:Creative Commons from renaissancechambara
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