If you’re a parent, chances are you’ve wondered about how to ensure you’re respected by your kids while remaining fun. Read on for some helpful tips.
Being a parent is a hard job. Nobody on the planet will dispute this. It’s a 24/7 job that begins as soon as you understand you have a child on the way and ends when you depart this planet for good.
Even as a grown-up they’ll still do things that worry you, so you’ll never, ever get to switch off. While it’s a difficult job and one that can get tedious from time to time, it’s still very rewarding and something that you won’t ever get bored of.
If you’re new to my site, hi there. I’m an expert on habit formation. I wrote a book called Happy Habits.
In my research, I learned that a lot of happiness comes from enjoying loving relationships – and making time for fun. In this article I will be sharing with you how to create habits which help parents to enjoy loving relationships with their kids – while having fun.
One thing that many parents struggle to get right, however, is the balance between being a disciplinarian and being a fun, easy-going guardian. Many couples adopt characteristics from each and behave in a sort of ‘good cop, bad cop’ manner.
The truth: You can be a fun-loving parent while maintaining order and respect. If you’re not really that way inclined, then just know it’s a case of changing the way you behave and the way you think. Before long, you could be the perfect guardian that has obedience before his or her very eyes.
How can you do this then? Well, there are a few ways you can If you want to be both a fun parent and respected by your kids. And it doesn’t have to feel like rocket science. A lot of it is basic and requires common sense. Here’s what you can do…
It’s all about the mindset a lot of the time. If you feel as though you’re a weak individual, then people will walk all over you. Your kids will also see weaknesses in your mind and look to take advantage of you.
When teaching your kids or letting them know some of the rules of life, you need to make sure that you’re not messing around and that you’re serious. Many parents will fold and be pushovers for their children because they never want to make them feel slightly uncomfortable. They also don’t really ever see themselves as leaders and will happily let a lot of things fly.
A parent that garners respect won’t fold that often and will stand their ground. Even when they’re being emotionally manipulated by their children. Make sure you don’t ever collapse mentally, and you’ll be good to go.
When it then comes to the recreational and non-serious stuff in life, they’ll want to actively participate in the fun with you. They’ll see you as a role model and want to emulate. Stay positive and stay strong. It works every time if you adopt these two characteristics.
There’s a fine line between being stern and demanding respect, and being too much and too full-on. It’s very easy for kids to get the wrong idea and for them to feel as though they’re not loved. When you’re in a bad mood, they may feel as though they’re a burden and that you don’t want them around at all.
You need to make sure that they know you love them and that you’re hoping that they have the best life possible. Obviously you know this is case. But you must reassure them!
When they’re fully secure, and they know full-well that you only want good things for them, they’ll see you in a positive light and nothing more. They’ll be more inclined to do as they’re told as they know you’ll guide them in the right direction while having fun along the way. Show interest in their lives and their hobbies and help them out in whatever way you can.
Trying too hard with a lot of things will make life a lot more difficult. When you naturally take care of things and let it all run its course, that’s when everything tends to work out in your favour. If you’re more organic with your behaviour, then you’re going to ensure they see you as someone to be respected. You probably know dozens of people in this world who try too hard to be liked or to be funny – it rarely works out, right? Worry less about Funny things mums say or cool things dads do and worry more about having fun while getting things done productively.
A lot of parents look to be too forthright with most things they say and do. Being too strict will not be productive at all as it will just make your children think that life is not to be enjoyed. They’ll see life as something of a burden and something that needs to be entirely systematic. They’ll grow up thinking ‘I won’t be able to do this because that’s not what I’ve been told to do’. As sad as that sounds, it happens all of the time.
If you want to be respected by your kids, allow fluidity. Let them live their own lives with their own choices. If you don’t, then they’ll be nervous wrecks as they grow.
We touched on this briefly, but you have to make sure that you’re sticking to your guns a lot of the time. There is, of course, wiggle-room for you to play around with. But sticking to your principles will mean they’ll understand the habits you’ve put them in.
If you continually change your stance, they’ll do one of two things – or both.
If you want to be respected by your kids, make things as simple as possible and don’t waver.
You’re not going to know absolutely everything parenting-related right from the get-go. In all honesty, you’re never going to have all the answers because there are so many different ideas and approaches. The best thing to do is to make sure you’re getting advice from lots of different accounts. You don’t need to take everything as gospel because that could confuse the life out of you. Just be sure to open yourself up to lots of different parenting techniques from friends, family members, and even professional caregivers.
This should go without saying, of course. Many parents often let them do their own thing without helping them, though. While this can be noble as struggles teach us a lot, you still need to be their backbone and provide a platform for them – especially when they’re still pretty young. If you do things for them that will make them grateful, then they’ll see you as something who can get so many tasks done. It doesn’t matter whether you’re dealing with a serious matter or with a recreational one.
If you want to be respected by your kids, make sure you spend some time being a fun, happy, positive parent.
This should obviously be something you do once the covid pandemic washes away, of course! For children (from toddlers to adolescents), it’s important to get out and do things as a family. If you stay in and barely move every single weekend, then they’re not exactly going to be enthused with regard to general life. They’ll also see you as boring and as someone who never wants to have any fun in life. There are lots of parents out there who just sit indoors, and it’s not healthy mentally, physically, or socially.
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