Growing up is tough for both kids and parents alike. From the day your little child becomes a pre-teen, conflicts start and worries arise. What if there is a magic recipe for this phase to become better? What if we can make those years less dramatic, and even, enjoyable?
Accept them as they are:
Yes! Accept their flaws, their mistakes, their worries, their sadness, even if it doesn’t make sense to you. Just accept that this is normal and an essential part of growing up.
Give them choices:
Emphasize their sense of choice. Let them choose what to wear, what to eat and most importantly, how they want to be loved.
Tell them you love them more often:
Tell them you love them 10 times a day. A young child who feels loved will not seek love at an early age, preventing a lot of potential mistakes in the future.
Make them committed to a sport:
Any sport. Observe their interests and choose a sport for them accordingly. Encourage them to go to practice, keep them busy, so they don’t get involved in useless activities when they grow older. Transform their energy into something healthy for the mind, body and soul.
Listen to them now, so they listen to you later:
Give them time to talk and use eye contact in your communication. Don’t leave the table till you make sure that they know you understand them.
At the end of the day, we all want a smooth ride with our children. We want them to trust us, to be our friends, to tell us their deepest secrets without fear.
You can do this, and you must start doing it now!