5 parenting drawbacks to avoid for holistic growth of children

Parenting is akin to nurturing a sapling into a tree, like early care that lays the foundation for holistic child development. Effective parenting is essential for a child's growth as poor parenting poses risks to their well-being. Responsible freedom is vital and is important to steer clear of actions that could hinder a child's early years. Ultimately, it is the parent's duty to foster their child's holistic development, ensuring a positive and pleasant future. Here are five detrimental pitfalls that every parent should avoid to ensure healthy development of their children.

Avoid Authoritarian Rule

Authoritarian rule asserts complete control, characterized by high demands and expectations from children without nurturing or feedback. Mistakes result in punitive measures fostering an environment that impacts children. If parents are unwilling to learn, this may resort in negativity instead of appreciation. This approach, marked by impatience and harshness, damages the emotional well-being, leading to depression, anxiety, and aggressive behavior of the child. These attitudes may compromise trust, impacting self-esteem and self-control, instigating resentment towards parents. Hence, parents should embrace love, respect, and attentive listening over excessive sermonizing to avert such consequences.

Don’t be a Poor Role Model

Parents significantly influence children's behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes, making it crucial not to be poor role models as a negative example directly impacts a child's inclusive growth. Parents must align their actions with their words as a good role model can set an example to set children’s attitude and behavior. Role models doesn’t mean that they are perfect human beings. Rather, accepting and admitting mistakes, and learning from them sets a powerful influence on the children’s emotional growth. The inspiring qualities and achievements of parents always inspire kids to be strong and effective. Hence displaying non-aggressive responses to stress and anger can impart positive lessons to handle the same in child’s life.

Overprotective approach is harmful

Parenting involves nurturing and disciplining a child into a successful individual. While safeguarding children from pain is natural, excessive protection can impede growth. Overprotectiveness can hinder a child's experiences and do more harm than good. Parents must establish boundaries, balancing friendliness with the avoidance of over-pampering. Shielding kids from failures obstructs the pursuit of perfection, hence allowing children to learn from mistakes and facing hardships is essential. Providing everything may breed irresponsibility and love, while responsible guidance fosters rational growth. Permitting children to make choices, learn, and become independent ensures a balanced and fruitful future.

Avoid comparison

Parents often harbor grand dreams for their children, fostering a fondness for comparison and competition. However, this tendency can negatively impact a child's mental health. Excessive focus on others' success can emotionally damage a child. Instead, prioritize your child's development, offering guidance, dialogue, and lessons on hard work. Identify their unique strengths and address weaknesses. Parents must recognize every individual's distinct potential and talent, steering them toward success. It is important to encourage resilience in the face of failure, and to avoid treating children as mere accessories for social display; instead, respect their individuality and offer love and understanding in fostering their growth.

Toying with a child’s emotions is risky

Children grapple with a spectrum of complex emotions such as frustration, anger, sadness, and jealousy like adults. They express feelings through facial expressions and behavior. Parents must comprehend and acknowledge these emotions and avoid neglecting them. Playing with a child's emotions can detrimentally impact constructive growth and parents must encourage proper expression, offering empathic support for good mental health. Recognizing and addressing various emotions promptly fosters a resilient child. Parents should stand by their children, help them navigate difficulties and ensure their emotional well-being.

In conclusion, we should know that while good parenting is overwhelmingly challenging, it is fundamental in ensuring children's health, safety, and productivity as they mature into adults. The adage ‘you reap what you sow’ emphasizes the importance of cultivating a high-quality parent-child relationship. A proactive and attentive approach to parenting is transformative and can positively impact a child's development into adulthood. Being alert and effective in parenting is crucial, acting as a catalyst for the child's physical and emotional state.

(The author is Principal, Greenwood High International School, Bangalore)