Discovering Parent as a Teacher

A child starts to absorb from the moment he or she is born. And it is from the parents that a child inherits most of the information. A parent possesses multiple roles in a child’s life. One of the most important is to nurture a loving, stimulating and positive learning environment in which as a parent you can monitor his/her appropriate mental and physical growth. This blog shares the 6 best skimmed skills taken from one of the favorite authors on baby and childcare and a very famous Yorkshire Television presenter,  Dr.Miriam Stoppard’s book, ‘Discover Your Child’s True Potential’. They will enable you as a parent how to instill an enjoying and encouraging environment for your child.

1.     Avoid Traps:

She says in her book, ‘Never pursue perfection as this will lead to frustration both to you and to your child and you will end up with an unhappy, demoralized child who simply cannot thrive and develop well. ’ Try to encourage every single accomplishment and success your child approaches each time.

Avoid Over-indulgence:

Though as a parent, you always have a positive intention for your child but consistent pampering and over-protecting can keep him/her dependent and he might end up feeling as a helpless victim.

Let’s Do Things:

Parent as a teacher needs to come in ground and actually have to come into an action. A child learns better through examples until 8 years. Instead of interrupting and instructing them, join in your child during his/her play time. Instead of instructing them to put the toys back to the place, hold the hand, sit together and make cleaning as a part of fun for them. Your little gestures of fantasy, humor, games or of jokes sticks long way in your child’s mind.

Keep Repeating:

     A young child is full of energy and can’t sit calmly while eating, playing or waiting for anything.  To stable his/her mind body co-ordination, keep repeating certain messages, such as, “We do not swing our legs while we are eating”, this can be done sometimes for months too.

Share Positive Examples:

Try to state or give examples of positive gestures sometimes through discussion or sometimes by performing it to them. You may ask your child to pat his/her pet and show him/her how to do it, and then hold his/her hand and move it gently. Avoid shrieking, as it communicates displeasure and an infant’s mind absorbs your gesture more than your words. However, this is not the case with school going child where he can understand the actions accompanied by the words. To give your child a clear picture of actions tries to make them funny and dramatic. `Instead of scolding or instructing, “Do not slam the door when you come in!” Stand beside the door open it for him/her and then told that this is how we close the door, ‘gently and quietly’.

Give Proper Attention:

A child has a sensitive nature and needs pure attention without distraction. Sometimes he/she either will drag you to play, run or take hold of your hand or clothes in order to attract your attention. A child only feels that she is being listened to if you make eye contact and stop what you are doing in order to listen. And this is how you must treat them. If you do this from the very early age, your child will feel confident enough that his/her voice is not being unheard and it inculcates the source of respect inside him/her as an individual.

Always remember that discipline a child is impossible as he/she does not have the intellectual power to distinguish between right and wrong. Up to the age of three, your baby’s will changes from an instinct to an urge, then to a desire and finally to a motive.