How to Improve Your Relationship With Your Child

The toughest part of being a Mom is, well…, being a Mom. Kids are wonderful, and they are a handfull! There are no easy answers to effective parenting, but I believe there are some guidelines that help.

First of all, your children need a parent and not just a friend. Kids actually want firm limits and feel more secure with boundaries. So if you bend the rules “just this once” to try to be a “cool” Mom, they won’t understand why you can’t bend them all the time. Not to say that letting them stay up once in a while to watch a cool movie isn’t OK, but bending the rules to be their “friend” is not.

Secondly, take the time to really listen to your child. Why is he or she acting that way? Is there something going on at school that you don’t know about? Many times, bad behavior is a cry for help that needs to be heard – especially if your child is a teen.

Children are more sensitive to peer pressure than adults and sometimes we forget what it was like. The number one rule of parenting teens is to make sure you know where they are and who they are with at all times. If you are not comfortable with them being with some of the friends they have chosen, then put your foot down. Better safe than sorry!

Remember also that children build a sense of responsibility by taking ownership for chores. Be sure that they are age appropriate, but don’t feel badly about asking your children to pitch in with the household tasks. It will cut their TV viewing, and also take some of the load off of you.