PARENTING : Be your child’s best friend

PARENTING is viewed as an intimidating job by a lot of people. However, it is a parent’s responsibility to bring up a child properly, make them independent, responsible and happy individuals. It is a tough job because sometimes you have to be authoritative to get the job done. Sometimes children can be horrible and defiant, and therefore, being strict is very useful in order for them to be disciplined. Unfortunately, not all parents have considered the option of being best friends with their children. Being friends with your child may not necessarily mean that he will not obey you when he has to. It is so rewarding to be your child’s best friend because every child needs a friend. Growing is a challenging and rough process for a child. All of us remember the numerous things we had to learn, little mistakes we made, and the many times that we needed help or advice. There are a lot of issues that children do not talk about to their parents. This is because they are scared that parents will get angry and scold them. Young children can sometimes be very scared of being reprimanded, which makes them remain silent about the problems and issues they face. Some of these problems require urgent attention. If your child is facing trouble in school or at home, he may not be able to discuss it immediately if you do not have a free and open relationship with them. Children are human beings like anybody else. They think a lot before they talk; for example, if they have strict parents they will not expose problems related to hard subjects, bullying and sexual abuse. If your child is having trouble with understanding his subjects at school, he may wait till the exam results come out before he confesses that there is problem. Similarly, bullying can be horribly traumatic for your child, and so do other issues like peer pressure, first love, name it. If children are unable to discuss their fears with parents, it may affect their proper upbringing. I believe such situations can be arrested by having good communication with your child, and that’s by being friends. Being friends with your children makes them confident and secure people. A lot of parents do not recognize the lifestyles of their children, but it is vital that you make an effort to. It may not be so easy to tackle the generation gap, but doing so can have its advantages. Good parenting allows your child space for mistakes, so that he feels it is alright to make mistakes as long as he learns from them. Resist the temptation to correct him all the time. Also, listen with interest when your child tells you about their day. Teach them to learn from mistakes and also teach good values that will enable them to make well-thought decisions. Let children know that you will always be there for them and that they can trust you enough to tell you their problems. Treat your child as an individual when you discuss issues with them, in this way they will realize on their own the mistakes they’ve made and not repeat them. When parents become friends with children, they will open up and not share their problems but also their most special secrets. This translates into many happy moments spent together as a family. So go ahead and have that happy home you always wanted and be best friends with your child. Parenting is all about raising a child rather than your biological relationship. Above all, communication lines need to be kept open between any parent and child. shebs10@yahoo.com