By Mara Miller
Let’s be honest: it’s easy to second guess yourself after you have your first baby…or your second…or even your third (if you decide you want that many kids!). This is totally normal! Your parents may have parenting styles that you didn’t agree with as kids, so now you want to do better for your own children. If you feel this way, it’s why you might consider applying research to the practice of parenting in these parenting tips. We are now in an age where information is literally a tap away on a phone screen or a computer keyboard, so it’s easier than ever to access the information you need.
Here are some parenting tips for applying research to help you become a better mother or father!
You can use a search engine on the internet to find just about any information you need, but don’t discount parenting books for parenting advice! They can have a wealth of information as well.
1. Figure out the kind of parent you are: Doing a quick Google search on “the four kinds of parents” can give you a wealth of information on parenting types. Whether authoritarian, permissive, uninvolved, or authoritative, you will be able to figure out areas where your parenting skills are working just fine or where you need to improve for your kids.
Related Link:Â Parenting Tips: 4 Types of Parenting Styles
2. Find new ways to entertain your kids: Are you the type of parent who doesn’t want your child to spend hours playing video games? Running out of things to do to entertain them? Research new ways to play with your kids will take only a few minutes. It doesn’t mean that you’re a bad parent just because you have run out of things to do, it just means that you need help!
Related Link: Parenting Advice: How to Cope with Your Child’s Diabetes
3. Find new ways to bond with your child: Bonding with your child should be obvious, but figuring out new ways to do it so your child doesn’t get bored or show disinterest is another beast altogether. What might work for one parent when it comes to bonding with their child may not work for another. It depends on how old the child is but using research to help you find new things to bond with your kids might help you find something you didn’t think about before.
4. Keep up to date with the latest research: Research centered around child development continually changes and evolves. Keeping up to date so you can make the best decisions, like that children actually need to play in order to learn, for your child. That way you’ll have the power to say “no” if someone–like a teacher–tries to tell you otherwise.
5. Find support groups: Parenting little ones is a difficult task that can become overwhelming if you don’t have the right type of support. If you find the right group of people, you can not only make lifelong friends but might be able to find future playmates for your children if it’s an online group for your local community. Groups like this also tend to share a lot of research that you can use in order to adjust your parenting style!
What are some other ways you can apply research to the practice of parenting? Let us know in the comments below!
