Healthy Parenting

Raising children in a healthy, balanced way can be very difficult at times yet being a great parent is the most important role we have in life, once we have kids.

Do you reflect on your childhood in a positive way or one that leaves you shuddering? Do you sometimes find that you sound like your mother or father when parenting your own children? Do you speak to your kids in a warm and friendly tone or do you often find yourself shouting at them or talking to them with disrespect yet expecting something different when they talk to you?

It amazes me how often I hear parents talking to their kids like they are feral rats invading their ceiling space yet seem surprised when their kids do not treat them with the utmost dignity – go figure!?!!

Our children depend on us for their survival and for guidance. It’s a big wide world out there. It’s up to us to make them feel loved and supported every step of the way.

Ask yourself the following questions about your parenting behaviour:

• Do you help your kids when they ask for help?
• Do you talk to your kids on a regular basis?
• Do you try to understand their problems and worries?
• Do you make your kids feel wanted and loved unconditionally?
• Do you discuss their life goals and what they want out of life?
• Do you eat dinner together every night as a family or are your kids sitting in another room or staring at the TV set with their dinner?
• Are you affectionate with your kids – do you hug them regularly?
• Are you emotionally warm to your kids or are you cold?
• Do you frequently smile at your kids?
• Do you encourage them to participate in things they like to do (as long as they are safe and enjoyable activities)?
• When appropriate, do you allow your kids to make their own decisions so they can become co-operative, confident, resourceful human beings or do you control everything they do?
• Do you try to prevent your kids from growing up because you don’t have enough enjoyable things to do in your own life?
• Do you make sure you never make your kids feel ashamed of themselves?
• Do you allow your kids privacy (when appropriate) or do you invade their space?
• Are you overprotective of your kids so they grow up feeling inadequate?
• Do you make your kids too dependent on you so they lack necessary survival skills and tend to lack confidence as adults and grow to live in fear?
• Do you make your kids feel better or worse when they are upset?
• Do you praise your children every opportunity that you get?
• Do you cause your child to rebel against you because you are too controlling and demand obedience rather than encouraging them to participate in a discussion about what’s best for them?
• Do you encourage your child to be a liar because you insist that you are always right and they are always wrong (so they just lie instead because let’s face it – they can never win anyway)?
• Do you spoil your child and do everything for them preventing them from becoming responsible, respectful and self-reliant adults?
• Do you give to your children with ‘no strings attached’ or do you make them feel like they owe you for what you just did for them or gave them? Kids that grow up feeling guilty for everything their parents did for them generally grow up feeling exploited and find it hard to trust others. They often feel like life is unfair.

I hope this article helps you improve your relationship with your children in some way.

If you would like to talk to someone about your relationship with your children, contact our centre to make an appointment.

Yours In Great Health,

Sar Rooney BHSc., ND., DC., DASc., GDSc. (Hons), MATMS, MNHAA, MHATO

Naturopathic Medicine Practitioner, Lecturer, Researcher 

Earth Medicine ^TM

Web: www.EarthMedicine.com

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Helping you achieve optimal wellness, hormonal balance and disease prevention with personalised, professional naturopathic health care, clinical pathology testing and high-quality herbal medicines and supplements 

Sar Rooney is a Naturopathic Medicine Practitioner specialising in Anxiety and Depression |Women’s Health| Hormonal Imbalances | Thyroid Disorders | Digestive Health | Genetic Polymorphisms (MTHFR/Pyroluria) | Nutritional Medicine | Optimal Wellness & Disease Prevention 

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Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment. Please note: I am not a medical practitioner.