Parenting- The divine power within YOU
Parenthood is an instinct, a call of the divine superpower as a step into another phase of life teaching us a sense of gratitude as giving becomes an essential part of us. We try to give our children all the values that we were taught and more, however as they grow and become young adults, the gap between us and them grows and we start questioning where we went wrong. If this is something that resonates with you then this article is for you.
A child’s haven is her/ his home, a place of non-judgment, where mistakes are accepted, and where they can be themselves. Yet most children find it easier to communicate with the outside world than their parents. As I continue to conduct my research studying teenagers, I found a direct linkage between their defiant behaviors and coping mechanisms to excessive control and high expectations from parents. In this article, I would like to share some of my lessons learned as we embark on this journey of parenting together. Open your minds while opening your hearts. Teenagers have conflicting hormones, they are not defying you, but they have no control over themselves, and just as you and I did once upon a time pushed our boundaries, so are they.
Trust and Respect. It is important to build trust with your child so that he/she feels comfortable enough to share their darkest secret with you. That comes with a lack of judgment. Once we master the art of accepting that parenthood does not mean sitting on a pedestal and exercising control, the journey becomes easier. Replace Fear with Respect– Fear is a negative emotion, we often perceive it as a good thing for the child to fear the parent. Is the child not answering you back out of fear or out of respect, this is something every parent needs to ask themselves.
Remember if the child is fearful of speaking at home then he is going to struggle to find his voice outside. Every child deserves a best friend as a parent who does not judge and control but accepts and allows mistakes, so they can learn, grow and continue to find and build their own path while understanding they have a strong base where they can come for refuge. Lack of Judgment- Listen without judgment, and let them share and grow. They are learning about themselves as they voice their emotions As you finish reading this article and let my words marinate your soul, I want you to keep in mind that parenting is an evolving journey to equip your child with morals and values which will matter for generations to come. Along this journey, don’t forget that consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
