Of all the New Year’s resolutions out there (how many people are pledging to lose weight?), why not set out to make a truly meaningful change in 2020. Why not pledge to be a better parent? Now, there’s a New Year’s resolution truly worth keeping.
Being a Better Parent in 2020
Striving to be a better parent doesn’t mean that you are a bad parent in any way. Everyone has room for improvement, even great parents. No one is perfect, after all. So, here are a few tips to help you improve your parenting profile in the new year.
Focus on Your Family
Too often, we as parents focus on what everyone else is doing. This is incredibly easy to do nowadays with social media. You can almost always see what your friends and their families are doing. You can see their milestones and achievements, you can see their family vacations, you can see…basically everything. However, it’s important to try and not compare your family to anyone else’s family. After all, what is best for one family might not be what’s best for you and your family. And remember that social media only tells a part of the overall story.
This year, focus on your family and stop comparing yourself to others.
Lead By Example
“Kids watch your every move, and, especially for babies and very young children, parental behavior proves to be far more powerful than words,” writes Diane di Costanzo, Parents. So, be very aware of your actions and do your best to lead by example.
“You are actually teaching your baby something every minute of the day—whether you intend to pass along a lesson or not,” says Elizabeth Pantley, author of The No-Cry Discipline Solution: Gentle Ways to Encourage Good Behavior Without Whining, Tantrums & Tears. “From how you handle stress to how you celebrate success to how you greet a neighbor on the street, your baby is observing you and finding out how to respond in various situations.”
Let Your Child Fail
Failure is okay. In fact, failure is one of the key ways your child learns and develops. So, let them fail. This helps instill the lesson at hand better than an explanation ever could, says Christopher Lucas, MD, an associate professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine, in New York City.
Trust Yourself
Don’t be afraid to trust your gut in 2020. While it’s easy to head to the internet and Google solutions for every problem that may arise, no one knows your child better than you do. The internet is full of “helpful” parenting articles, many of them with conflicting advice. So, do yourself a favor and start listening to your own instincts.
Take Care of Yourself
In many ways, parenting is a truly selfless job. It means putting the needs of others ahead of your own. However, in order to be a better parent in 2020, you need to remember to take time to take care of yourself.
“According to sociologists, economists and psychologists studying families, our child-centred society has lost sight of one of the most important ingredients for healthy, happy kids – healthy, happy parents,” writes Erin Anderssen, The Globe and Mail.
Parenting is a demanding job. So make sure you set aside some time for yourself.
If you have any questions, you can contact us by phone at 410-683-2100, by e-mail at dr.kirschner@adoptionmakesfamily.org or use our online contact form.
Adoption Makes Family is here for you. We are a non-profit (501-C3) licensed adoption agency based in Maryland founded to meet the needs of birth parents and adoptive parents in a manner that is sensitive, compassionate, and personal. Our adoption counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your convenience. If you would like our advice or just need to talk, please give us a call at any time.
Sources
- Anderssen, Erin. “To Be a Better Parent in 2020, Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself.” The Globe and Mail, 30 Dec. 2019, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/article-to-be-a-better-parent-in-2020-dont-forget-to-take-care-of-yourself/.
- Costanzo, Diane di. “8 Ways to Be a Better Parent.” Parents, https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/advice/8-ways-to-be-a-better-parent/