Every parent wants their child to grow up happy and healthy. Here are some tips from pediatrician Dr. Stephan Cowan that he says every parent should know.
Here’s how to be a good parent.
1. The development and growth of your child is not a race. Enjoy them as they are growing because it goes by so quickly. Teach them things like how to eat healthy and to get exercise so they can carry those lessons as they grow.
2. Family traditions can help to encourage a healthy life and strong roots. Your child will carry the relationship skills and the confidence gained from family traditions through their lives.
3. We grow in cycles, so sometimes it may seem like things are speeding up and then slowing down or even going backwards. It is all a normal part of development.
4. Encourage your child to do things, don’t do it for them. They will never learn if they don’t get to do anything for themselves and can become spoiled and go through life thinking everyone will hand them whatever they want.
5. They are always going to push your buttons. Roll with it and let them know where the boundaries are.
6. Symptoms are telling us that something is wrong. Learn what symptoms could mean before dosing your child with medications.
7. Be prepared. You can’t always stop your child from getting sick, but you can be prepared for when they do.
8. It takes time for wounds and sicknesses to heal. There is no quick fix.
9. Letting go is the key to life. Everyone goes through stages such as crawling to walking, babbling to speaking. You need to learn to let go and focus on developing their new skills further.
10. Trust in your parenting skills. You know what is best for your child. Listen to them and listen to yourself and you will be able to figure out most anything that comes your way.
11. Look at the bigger picture instead of just the “right now”. Something that they may develop at 13 months or the age of 2, or further could be something that they will grow out of. Look at the bigger picture instead of focusing on the smaller issue right now.
