Can you imagine waking up on the right side of the bed? Oh the gratifying feeling! You go to work and achieve set tasks effectively and at the end of a long day, you get back home patiently overcoming all the challenges without making a fuss. Raising kids the right way can be likened to the above scenario.
It’s usually easy to get caught up with the responsibility of being a parent that we occasionally forget to savor the moment and wallow in the journey. However, one of the important lessons I have learnt is that if you choose to have fun instead, your day just becomes more valuable and exciting, despite the mundane tasks in between and all.
Amidst all, how do you raise up a kid who feels loved and cherished, without necessarily spoiling the child?
Make them feel important.
Spend time listening to them and talking with them.
Say yes when they ask you to lie down with them after tucking them in for the night.
Be intentional.
Pray for them and with them.
There’s something I propose to start doing soon to make me become more intentional in making the girls feel special and I want to share with you.
Every month, on the girls birth dates, they get to have their nights. For instance, Niki was born on the 25th of January, Steph was born on the 26th of November, while Michelle was born on the 21st of July. So on the 25th, 26th and 21st of every month, the girls get to have their special nights with mum on their respective dates. They get to choose a fun activity not related to watching tv, using phones, tabs or lappy. It could be reading, cooking together, playing board games, telling and writing stories, drawing or something. Still working out the logistics and hope it works because school nights will have to be given serious consideration. LOL.
In all these, striking a balance is key so as not to end up raising irresponsible and over pampered kids. You can try some of these tips too;
I try not to indulge their every wish just so that they don’t get to cry or throw tantrums. I have never heard of a child who cried himself or herself to stupor. So, if not having their way will make them cry, then with all pleasure, let them cry it out once in a while.
I know we all like to create happy memories and please our kids from time to time. I know I do. Just don’t go overboard. Trips to fun places, buying toys and all that good stuff are good, as long as we don’t make them feel entitled or make them feel the world revolves around them because it definitely doesn’t.
Help them to understand that they won’t always get everything they want. And don’t go apologizing for not buying stuff you cannot afford, just because you promised to buy them.
Discourage meltdowns. Kids are smart and if they notice that you tend to ignore their tantrums, they won’t be encouraged to continue.
All these little acts, which add up to be not so little after all, will end up in raising well-loved kids at the end of the day.
I will leave you with this thought; Any time you give your child your undivided attention, you’re making a lasting impression in their hearts not pampering them.
By and by, ‘Listen earnestly to whatever your kids want to say to you. If you don’t listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won’t tell you the big stuff when they are not so little, because to them, it has always been big stuff all the while.’- Catherine Wallace.
Looking back over the years, I know just how amazing it is when you have a close relationship with your kids, judging by how close I was to my mum, still am. It’s an everlasting bond, shackled by love. So I intend to make my impression on these kids, one itsy bitsy moment at a time and I hope you can join me too.
XOXO,
Yours Truly.
