As a parent, being cool could mean helping your kids reach their full potential and achieve their dreams. Seeing your children happy and fulfilled is, in itself, a reward. While the exact formula for good parenting is subjective at best, we have some idea of the qualities of parents that can help their children become the best they can be.
Love
Many parents pick this as a primary requirement in parenthood. Love is the force that binds you to your children. From it originates your desire to see them secure and happy. Because you love your kids, you care for them and give them everything they need to the best of your resources and abilities. Children who are loved are more likely to grow up with a healthy body and behaviour compared to their peers who feel unloved or unwanted.
Patience
Kids learn about the world as they grow up. They are likely to make a lot of mistakes over the course of their development. Holding back your temper, overcoming your disappointment and being patient will help your kids understand that it is normal to make blunders or to miss a few expectations here and there. You can then teach them to correct their errors or work harder to accomplish what is expected of them.
Resilience
Life’s surprises are not always the good kind. Being able to adapt and power through challenges will inspire your children to adopt the same attitude and mindset which in turn, will help them weather and overcome their own hurdles. The path toward one’s dream isn’t always paved, so flexibility and resilience will play a crucial role in ensuring that your kids will get there.
Trust
Trust goes both ways. It is essential that your children give their trust to you. This strengthens the bond you share with them and in a way, allows you to have a greater influence on their development. As your children grow older, there will be many instances when you may have to put your trust in their abilities and the choices they make. This is crucial to ensuring that they grow up independent and confident in their ability to decide for themselves.
Respect
Learning how to earn respect is an essential lesson with life-long benefits on your children’s interactions with their friends, lovers and even their own children. It will help them appreciate other people more and see beyond the superficial, a crucial skill in the search for partners who will assist them in fulfilling their aspirations. You can teach them respect by giving them respect and making yourself worthy of respect, too.
Effectiveness as a teacher
You will be your children’s main source of guidance—their very first teacher. How you prepare them will affect their ability to learn and their love for knowledge. For instance, helping them with their ABCs will help them read or write faster. Among your roles as a teacher is pointing them toward resources they can use to hone their skills and improve their chances at achieving their dreams. For example, suppose your children want to put up their own restaurant, you may help them find reference books or take on traineeships or apprenticeships which could be life changing opportunities that will help them develop the right skills and experience.
Support
This comes in several forms. Financial support means spending and allocating finances for what will help your kids become independent. This includes school. Moral support means being there for you children, encouraging them to pursue their dreams and to not give up. Support is vital as it affects your kids’ morale, empowering them to work harder and reach their dreams. Some opportunities, such as a job overseas, may have heavy trade-offs. Letting them know you have their back will put them at ease about pursuing their goals.
Humour
Laughter can do a lot of good when times get rough. Being able to find good-natured humour where there is seemingly none and teaching your kids to do the same will help them develop a more positive outlook and a brighter personality. It will also help them regain their footing from failure and disappointments faster.
Gratitude
It takes a big person to appreciate the little things. Teaching your children to be thankful for small blessings will help them put their life in better perspective. Instead of feeling bitter over the things they failed to attain, they will count what gifts they have and become more focused on working towards their goals.
Good example
You are the first person your children will look up to and want to emulate. At the end of the day, your efforts to impart the right values may not be effective if you do not present yourself as a good example. Most of the time, the best way to teach them how to behave is by behaving so yourself.
Becoming a cool parent who empowers their children may take a lot of effort and a generous amount of dedication. Your approach may be different from that of other parents but develop the right qualities and you’re most definitely on the right track.