Breaking the Cycle: Parenting
Written by Crystal Yeager
Every parent strives to be a better parent than they had as a child. More and more parents are choosing to look towards “Positive Parenting” and seeking ways to break the cycle of “bad” parenting towards their children. Parents are also looking for ways to appropriately address any issues or bad behaviors of the child, in a more positive way, thus breaking the cycle of unhealthy behaviors. Some tips to break the negative cycle of parenting between parent and child are:
“Be more nurturing and less controlling” (MantraCare, 2023). Let children make some small decisions in the home, which will allow them to express creativity, and relieve stress of decision making from the parent. This will then allow the parent to then focus on positivity and promote nurturing.
“Allow them to make their own decisions” (MantraCare, 2023). Such as what to wear to school. Give the child the resemblance of making a decision. A parent can provide two options, both of which are options with outcomes the parent agrees with, which will allow the child to feel a sense of trust within the relationship.
“Make sure you have a strong support system in place so that they can lean on other adults if needed” (MantraCare, 2023). Evaluate your own support system and allow yourself as a parent to be vulnerable and ask for help or guidance, when needed.
Avoid speaking negatively about your children, especially when in front of the child. Breaking Acknowledging and expressing frustration is normal, however it is important to reserve these feelings for time away from the child. The child needs to feel loved and supported.
Open up to friends, family, or a trusted individual about your own childhood experiences, how this affected you in both negative and positive ways, then explore how you would want to implement or change these behaviors with your own child/children as an alternative way of coping or communicating your intentions of being a cycle breaker.
Reference:
Author, M. (2023, January 31). Parental enmeshment: Signs, effects, and tips. Mantra Care.