Parenting is one of those phenomenon in the world that no one can say he or she is an expert in. Here I will be discussing how I intend to build my children's world. Though I am not yet a parent but I will be one very soon.
I have always had my own view about parenting. Growing up in Africa and in Nigeria a lot of things influenced my childhood. In Nigeria we believe that no one person cannot train a child but it is the duty of the whole community, true, because as a parent you will not be with your child always.
Let's look at those things that will help shape my children's world.
1. Love; As a parent I must show my children love and care. This is very important, lots of people grew up without experiencing love from their parents and this has shaped them up to think or believe that love is transactional in nature. A friend told me that people love others because of what they tend to gain from the person. We had a long argument about this untill I discovered that growing up he never experienced love from his parents. This plays a big psychological role in people's life but sometimes we overlook it. I tend to show my children love and care.
2. Being a role model; As a parent I have to be a role model to my children. Kids learn from their parents faster than they even learn in school. Informal education is a very important aspect of a child's formative years. I remember growing up, my parents would always greet anyone even if they did not know the individual and I began to do same without even knowing, because it became a part of me. There are certain virtues I have learnt from my parents and I have seen how these have helped shape my life.
I will be a good role model to my children, teaching them honesty, kindness and dedication.
3. Discipline; This is one of the missing links in the 21st century parenting. Lots of parents don't discipline their children. I see parents accepting bad behavior from their kids and saying they will change when they become adults. For me I believe if you don't discipline or scold a child who has committed an offense you are indirectly telling the child that what he did is accepted and when a child grows up with such a mentality, it will become difficult to correct such a person. A man once told me that he learnt punctuality from his parents and this has stayed with him for life.
I will make sure I my kids discipline right from their formative years. Teach them how to behave in public and treat others.
4. Communication Skills; Most times we tend to over look this aspect as parents and think it is not important. Teaching a child the proper communication skills would help the child. Kids grow up to become adults and speak rudely to others. Parents should be deliberate when it comes to communication.I tend to teach my children how to communicate probably with others.
5. Tolerance; In my part of the world this is a big problem. We find out that there is little or no tolerance amongst us. I will teach my children to respect other people's views and opinions. Respect their culture, religion, social and economic status. Most times we treat people based on the aforementioned variables. All human beings are equal and we should treat and respect others not minding their background.
6. Hardwork; I believe there is no substitute for hardwork. I see lots of young and old people looking for short-cut to success, the result is always not palatable. I will teach my children to work hard and work smart. To succeed in life one has to brace up and grind.
No one is an expert on this topic. I am ready to learn from others. Building my children's world as a parent is going to be interesting and fun.
You can share your tips on parenting in the comment section.