5 Ways You Can Implement Gentle Parenting In Everyday Life
Raising kids is like an ongoing learning experience. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, they throw you for a loop. And again, you’re back to the old trial and error method.
What parent hasn’t switched up their tactics or lost their temper when faced with behavioral challenges? In an effort to do what’s best for their kids, some parents have turned to gentle parenting.
Gentle parenting is all about emotional regulation, communication, and showing compassion and understanding to your child. You’re presenting your child with choices, not coercion. Those all sound like positive things, so how difficult could it really be?
However, using gentle parenting techniques can be harder than it seems. When your kids aren’t listening, it takes everything in you to keep your cool. But sometimes, the dam bursts, and yelling occurs.
If you want to learn how to curb your reaction to a frustrating moment, here are five examples of everyday scenarios in which you can practice gentle parenting.
Ending Screen Time for the Day
No one likes to be interrupted while watching a movie or their favorite show. And the same goes for your child. It’s upsetting for them to have their tablet suddenly taken away amid a YouTube video, and they will react accordingly.
Before screen time even begins, establish the amount of time your child gets and what the next activity will be when screen time is done for the day.
Alert your child to how many minutes they have left, giving them time to complete one last game or finish off a video. You can even set a timer. This way, the transition is not as abrupt.
Jeff Bergen/peopleimages.com – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person or child
Refusing to Eat Dinner
When your child turns up their nose at the meal you worked tirelessly to prepare, you might be tempted to just throw your hands up in resignation. But you can actually turn this into a teachable moment!
Explain why dinnertime is important and what this part of the day entails. It provides an opportunity for everyone to gather together and chat about their days.
You can also try getting your child more involved with mealtime. Give them a say on what to eat for dinner. They’ll feel like they have choices, and that goes a long way!
Leaving the House
Before heading out the door, you make sure all the essentials are packed–snacks, drinks, diapers, toys, etc. Then, you have to get yourself ready, of course. You’ve given your child one task: putting on their shoes.
And by the time you’ve reached the door, the shoes still aren’t on. This may be because your child doesn’t know what’s expected of them.
Let them know when they need to be ready to go and give them a heads-up of the amount of time they have left before leaving the house.
Misbehaving in Public
Let’s say your child tends to run off in the middle of a busy store. Instead of yelling and making threats, teach them why running off is unsafe.
Then, while they’re practicing good behavior in public, make sure you acknowledge it.
Bedtime
Establishing a bedtime routine is important. Do everything in the same order each night, so your child knows what to expect, effectively diminishing tantrums.
Verbally state the activities you’ll do. Soon enough, your child will be able to practice the nightly routine with no fuss and on their own!
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