These days parenting 101 is becoming extremely popular among the public because of the way it’s modifying the conventional norms of parenting.
Key Facts
- Parenting definitely needs a lot of strength and this is why most of the parents are in search of measures and tips which can help them in being good parents.
- Parenting 101 became popular right when the internet revolutionized the traditional concept of parenting.
- Parenting 101 is a term often used by several parenting websites and blogs to initiate a workshop involving several important steps for parenting.
- Parenting today has become a collective effort. Parents need to be friendly and supportive in order to win their children’s trust.
Every parent wants good for the children. Many of the parents are often confused in setting a goal for themselves when it comes to bringing up their children as per the requirements of the modern era.
Also Read: “10 Effective Tips For Teenagers in 2021”
We all know that conventional parenting is being challenged by many parenting experts as well as psychologists because of the narrow approach. This is why parenting 101 has come forward to enchant new parents as well as parents who want to change their ways when it comes to setting examples for their children.
What is Parenting 101?
So, a lot of the parents often become curious about the terminology itself. They are curious about this term itself and whatever it accounts for. So, before we dive deeper into the concepts laid by this approach, let’s tell you some important details about this “relatively newer model of parenting”.
Background
Parenting 101 initially began in 2007-8 when the internet became popular with the public. At that time, everything conventional found a new dimension, and hence parenting was impacted by this too. With everything gradually finding its way to the web world, the modules of parenting also shifted in the virtual world, and hence parenting 101 emerged out of this shift.
Basic Definition
Today parenting 101 emerges as a concept widely popular over the internet. Many parenting websites initiate successive workshops influenced by this model which aims to teach 101 principles of parenting to parents. This concept has become popular because parents these days are willing to become friends with their children and overcome the growing differences between children and them right from a young age.
The experts over these parenting sites explain to the parents their efforts and the results they can bring. The aim of parenting 101 is to bring a new sense of harmony between parents as well as their children so that differences get lessened up which are becoming the reason behind depression emerging in both ends. It aims in bringing forward a healthy parenting style so that things can get easier between both parents and their children and a harmonious union of love and care should be developed.
The Basis C’s of Parenting 101
Well, different experts analyze this parenting style differently. However, here we are presenting the most significant and easy module for the parents so that they don’t have to bear a lot of burdens and can make their lifestyles impressive by changing their habits a bit.
Here is the C type model of parenting 101.
- Consider
- Care
- Communicate
- Choose
Consider
By considering, in parenting we mean that you need to be considerate enough. Now, there are different forms of consideration. There are primary considerations and then there are emotional considerations. The primary considerations are your responsibility as parents. If you are being considerate towards their primary needs like house, shelter, education, and food, then it’s your duty. You will fulfill this as your duty.
However, the second type of consideration towards the needs of your children indicates your involvement and concern for them. The emotional needs vary as per the age group. For example, when you have children who are not near to adulting, these needs would be minimal and will be mostly concerned about providing them an impactful lifestyle where they are relaxed and not traumatized. However, as the children approach teenagers, things get different.
You have to be extra considerate when it comes to understanding your children. As many of the experts state that teenagers are most in need of guidance, so you need to reach out to them and assure them that you are here for them. You need to ensure that you will be ready to listen to them if they are willing to open up to you about things and changes happening in their life. Fine parenting means becoming your children’s best friend right from an early age so that when they are at the onset of puberty, things get easier for them to tackle with your help.
Care
As parents, care is the natural part that you depict in your attitude. However, being caring is more than depicting all your love toward the child. When you care for your children as loving parents, you need to be caring enough that you are not doing anything to impact their mental state.
I have seen a number of parents often complaining that they care for their children yet they are distant from them. What they don’t look carefully at is their own attitude not only in just treating their children but behaving with everyone in their daily life.
A number of parents who are going through unhappy marriages are mostly the ones who have fights in their homes on a daily basis. This leaves a very negative impact on the mental state of the children who are being a witness to all this. Therefore, the experts stress that parents should create an environment that speaks of care all by itself rather than depicting “apparent and superficial care” towards the children.
Communicate
The biggest issue faced by most parents today is the inability to communicate with their children. On the contrary, the children are not ready to open up because they feel that the parents will simply “not get it”. This is why the distance between parents and children exists in the first place.
Communication is absent in today’s world. Part of that is because of the extremely internet-dependent lifestyle where both parents and children have started depending on the online world and the need for validation in this sphere. The busy routines of parents don’t find enough time to be separately segregated for the children. Hence, many things remain unsaid during this chaos.
This is one reason that today, most of the relations are gradually wearing out. Many experts of parenting consider this extremely busy routine “unhealthy” for the mental health of both parties. Impactful communication should be considered.
It is important that parents create a space on a regular basis for their children where they discuss their lives. This will definitely help in melting the iceberg of distance existing between both. At the same time, it also helps both to find the essential warmth in one another which is necessary for building mutual trust.
Choose
Parents are human beings who love their children more than anyone else. They are also the ones who want to choose the best for their children, but, are they really choosing the best for them? Finding this is really important. A number of parents consider that whatever they are choosing for their children is right and will suit their children the best.
However, they forget an important thing that in the end, it is their children who will decide the worth of a choice. This is why we often find many children suppressing their desires from a very young age because somewhere in their minds they have built this concept that their parents will always refuse to act upon their choices. Hence, they stop making choices for their own selves which makes them lag behind others in the race of real life.
It is very important for parents to respect the choices of their children because as human beings, they must have wishes of their own. When you will start regarding the desires and choices made by the children, you will find that your children’s confidence has found a new way. They are becoming open to you and are becoming much more active in life than ever.
Tenets of Parenting 101
In addition to the C-module, there are some basic tenets of parenting 101 which make up the whole concept more versatile. These tenets are based on the mutual affection between parents and their children and tend to improve the attachment existing between both for the sake of fine parenting.
Let’s explore these basic tenets attached with the upbringing of the children and the general attitudes of parents.
- Consistency in support
- Become their models
- Teach empathy
Consistency in support
A number of parents declare themselves as the biggest supporters of their children’s activities. They also give the reason that by doing this, they want to become close to their children. However, this support is conditional. Many of the parents put strict conditions over their support and bound their children to follow that struck rule book under which their support will be made certain.
It’s a good thing that as parents you are not supporting them in every decision, however, there is another to do this, rather than bounding them in a circle of rules. You can support them and still teach them some important lessons about life by telling them how things can become wrong if the choices are not right. You can even share your own life experiences with them.
Remember, you are giving your children wings to fly and for this, you need to prepare them against the tide which can be harsh at certain times. This is why it is important that they realize that no matter what trial comes in their life, you will always be standing by their side without judging them. Instead of letting them hold an entire rule book, you can make them responsible by telling them that their support will be there but they need to learn that some decisions of their life will not be easy, where they have to become very careful.
Become their role models
Many parents want their children to grow up as the ideal citizen and be responsible. We all know that it is the priority of many parents but are you actually doing anything for this purpose? You need to question yourself. Parents who lie in front of their own children, shout and fight, cheat and create a fuss must remember that they are creating deep imprints in the minds of their young children through this.
This is why most of the experts advise parents to become role models for their children because young minds are taking into account every single thing which they see around them. Parents are their first schools where they learn every single thing. So, instead of directing them what to do or not to do, present them with a practical model in the shape of your own personality.
Teach empathy
One of the reasons that humanity is vanishing with the prevalence of modernism is the lack of empathy. Today, we find everyone busy in their own lives while people are suffering in silence. The sufferer could be anyone. Parents today have become so immersed in overcoming the materialistic needs of their children that the emotional needs are no longer cared for. This is why we don’t find empathy so common among children today.
As parents, you have the responsibility to teach your children the basic rules of empathy. Many of the experts who focus upon parenting 101 put this influence upon the parents to teach their children this basic ethics which makes humans superior to all other creatures. Empathy helps children to be kind. This kindness ultimately becomes a part of their lives and makes them a responsible citizen who is considerate toward the life around him/her.
Conclusion
Parenting 101 is not just the name for a course. It is rather a collection of ideas upon which the life of parents and children depends. Many parents want to become experts in parenting in no time. However, one needs to remember that parenting is more than a duty.
It is a way of life and when something becomes a way of your life, you have to adopt the measures which can turn the direction of your life in a positive direction. In addition to that, parenting 101 teaches you about your own life apart from your children. It is good to say that parenting 101 and its measures not only impact children’s lives but also influence the lives of the parents too.
