The Benefits of Positive Parenting

Bringing a child into the world is one of the most profound experiences that parents will ever undergo in their lives. The best way to bring up a child with good behavior is to start early on in their formative years. "Train up a child in the way you wish them to grow and they will never depart from it" is a Biblical phrase that comes in handy in parenting. One technique that has proven successful is called Positive Parenting.

Psychologists have designated three main types of parenting: Authoritarian, Permissive and Authoritative.  Authoritarian is whereby parents enforce strict rules with no input from children, there is more emphasis on bad as opposed to good behavior and punishment is usually severe. Children here rarely receive rave reviews for good behavior and may tend to have a low self-esteem or may turn out to be very aggressive later in life.

Permissive behavior is where parents let the children have a free rein; rules made are not consistently adhered to. The parent gives a lot of freedom to the child without proper guidelines on what is right or wrong. Children may find it very hard to follow rules in a different environment like school. The parent is also unable to appreciate good behavior or correct bad behavior; they leave it to the child to sort themselves out.

Authoritative parenting is where the parents set rules and involve their children in making of the rules. They reinforce good behavior by rewarding it, while correcting in a positive way the repercussions of bad behavior. They monitor their child’s behavior closely while finding opportunities to "catch" good behavior as often as possible. Parents communicate in a clear manner what is expected from the child so they understand the difference between good and bad behavior.

The authoritative parenting is a good example of positive parenting. As a result children grow up with appropriate behavior ingrained in them, they are able to fit in any environment and perform exceptionally well in whatever they undertake. They also demonstrate traits like honesty, respect, and integrity, and are unlikely to break rules and regulations. Benefits of positive parenting are immense in molding children to live up to their full potential and become worthy members of society.

Positive parenting involves rewarding good behavior, correcting bad behavior in a loving manner, pointing out to the child how that behavior can cause hurt to other people. It also gives the children an opportunity to make choices for themselves with assistance from the parents. Communication is also emphasized to allow children to express themselves.

Positive parenting also takes into consideration the personality of the child as no child is alike, some are born introverts and others extroverts. Positive parenting will ensure that each needs of the child are taken care of without resorting to comparing them. It brings out each child's strengths and improves on their weaknesses to create a balanced personality. 

Children who are beneficiaries of positive parenting are easy to spot. They get along well with other people irrespective of their backgrounds, rarely get into trouble with authorities, excel in their chosen fields and eventually become responsible members of their societies. To learn more about these parenting skills, parents should take courses early on.  Online classes are ideal for new parents because they offer the convenience of not having to leave your own home, they are low-cost, and are interesting and informative!