Be a Parent and a Friend of Your Child

Be a parent and also a friend? Do you found difficulties to ‘play’ these roles? Parents wish to be "friendly" to their child but don’t want their parental authority to be eroded. What is the right balance?

I guess the right balance will be various from family to family. Well, parents, I share here some helpful guidance for you to reach the proper balance in both roles:

Communicate with your child well.Listen to what your child says. Let the child feel comfortable to share information and feelings with parents. A parent has to be patient and non-judgmental in doing this. This will help your child to interact freely.

Enforce the rules firmly.It is easy to say, "yes" but tough for the parent to say "no". Your kids have to learn that in a family rules apply to all. Be firm, no matter how unpleasant it might seem to you.

Build your child’s trust.
Encourage your child to talk about his/her daily routine with you. You should know who your child's friends are at school and what are his favorite hobbies. Try to involve in his/her fun activities and games. This encourages bonding between the parent and the child.

Ensure your child's safety and security.Don’t let your child indulge in any activities, which endanger his security, no matter how much your child forces you.

Ensure that the rules are fair.Make sure that you are not overly strict in applying the rules for your child. Let the rules be fair and logical. This will ensure that the child would not dislike the undue strictness or disciplining.

Encourage independence in your child.Let your child explore, take decisions, and do things on his/her own. This will allow him/her to develop into a holistic personality, unafraid to try new challenge. As parents, you will not be around to fight all your child's battles. Equip him with the wisdom and the opportunities to face tomorrow's challenges accurately.

Discipline is important.Teach your child the importance of following rules: be it at home, in school, or outside the house. Don’t let your love blind you into doing everything that she/he asks you to do. Remember, discipline teaches a child to develop into a more adaptable adult.

Rules must be clear and consistent.
Make sure that the child clearly understands the rules. Ensure that the rules are enforced similarly each time. This makes it easy for the child to understand them and acceptance of the enforcement then becomes easier.

It is essential to be friends with your children. However, as parents, you have a larger role in teaching them the importance of discipline and following rules. Sometimes, they might get angry or throw tantrums, but if you do the enforcement correctly and consistently; they would understand the importance sooner than later.Rewrite source:here
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