Think You're Being Too Tough on Your Child?
What works best when it comes to making your child listen to you?
Its the end of the day, everybody's fed, the kids are asleep, the house is quiet, and you're reflecting on your day. Parents, has it ever crossed your mind that you might be too hard on your kids?
Personally, I see nothing wrong with making kids do chores, just as long as they aren't too strenuous. Its not a crime to teach your kids to do dishes, or have them with the laundry , or cook dinner, but it does teach them responsibility and discipline.
My six-year-old cleans his room, does his homework, and takes care of his dog. Right now, that's the most he can do, because I don't expect him to do too much. The most my three-year-old does is clean his room with his brother, but I can't expect too much right now, because he's three and has a short attention span.
Me, I am a twenty-five-year-old disabled mother of two, so I need a little more help than most. My husband is a truck driver, and because of that, he's not home often, but I do have the support of my in-laws to help me with the kids, when I need it.
Sometimes, I feel myself going out of my mind, and I feel like I'm too hard on my kids with their punishments (my six-year-old will be grounded from electronics for three days if he starts with an attitude, and it'll be a week if he continues. I have to take it day by day with my three-year-old, because, like I said, he has a very short attention span). I know if I don't do it though my kids will never learn; if I don't follow through with what I tell them is going to happen (ex: making my three-year-old get off electronics for three days or longer), I know that they'll think that they can act like little snots, and I don't want them to think its okay.
Back in the day, parents were parents, parents and kids weren't best friends. See, in my personal opinion, you can be friends with your child, but there is a fine line between parenting and confiding in each other like best friends.
Today, it seems, being a "cool" parent is the thing. You play a game with your kids, fine; you want to show them something cool, fine; but, there is a fine line between being best friends with your kid.
Children learn from example; as parents, we need to set good ones for them to follow.
Believe me, half the things I did, mainly as a teenager, I really wouldn't want my kids doing it.
Growing up, we hear "Its for your own good," from our parents, when they wouldn't let us do what we wanted, and, when one becomes a parent, we start remembering those times, thinking about what you would do for your kids, for their own good.
So, when the day is done and you finally get me time; if you're like me, and you think back on your day. I think of the day that I had with my kids; whether we had fun and baked cookies, cake, or brownies, and then played games; or, if it was a bad day, which every parent has, where you had to fight with them about every little thing, you had to put them in multiple time-outs, and not have any fun with them at all, that's okay.
You're going to have hard days, there are going to be good days. Don't stress if you were too hard on them. It won't hurt them to be put in a time-out, they may be mad but, it also may be for their own good.
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