HOW TO BUILD A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR CHILD
Child development is about much more than academics. Subjects such as reading, writing and mathematics are very important, but they are not the only things a child should be learning as they grow. In recent years, “whole child development” has become a popular and effective way to educate children.
WAYS FOR NEW PARENTS TO BUILD A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT
1. Listen and be present
Listening is something we all need. Attunement is essential for us to feel connected. Active listening is key. Respond with positive body language and verbal acknowledgment. Be present and put down your phone when you spend time with your child.
2. ENCOURAGEMENT, COMPLIMENTARY AND PRAISE
Positive experiences, especially those that are connected to challenges or efforts, can build self-confidence, engagement, and excitement. Positive behavior will be discouraged and children may feel defeated. Not the results, but the effort should be praised. It shows your child that effort and perseverance are the most important parts of being a successful person.
3. FEELS WITH YOUR CHILD
Empathy is a way of establishing emotional connections. The child will feel more comfortable talking about their emotions and feelings if we can be understanding and calm in even the most difficult situations. You must help them understand why and when they feel it.
4. Always remain positive
Although smiling is contagious, it’s easy to forget that sometimes “bad” emotions can also be passed on. Your child will catch your anger and frustration if you feel angry or frustrated. A happy home makes a happy child.
5. STAY ACTIVE
Both body and mind are benefited by physical exercise and other forms of physical activity. From birth to old age, physical activity is essential. Start by allowing your baby to practice tummy time. This will help them gain strength, build muscles and support their future development.
6. BE A ROLE MODEL
A well-known phrase is “Monkey See Monkey Do”. When we don’t know how to behave, others can teach us. Your children will mimic your behavior, how you treat others and how you talk.
7. PLAY, HAVE FUN, AND LAUGH TOGETHER
For both adults and children, playing is one of the most enjoyable and motivating activities. Playful interactions can make us more creative, expressive, and social.
“Parental love and support in childhood, along with affectionate relationships from peers and teachers during school years, are the most important predictors for wellbeing and mental well-being throughout life.”
Ways to help your child develop a positive self-concept
The self-concept is the way one views herself and her capabilities. At birth, a child’s self-concept develops. It starts with the way she is treated by adults. Through caring and warm interactions, parents and caregivers can create a positive emotional connection with their infant.
A child’s self-esteem is enhanced by a positive emotional connection with caregivers and parents. As the child develops, her ability interact with her environment successfully fosters healthy self-concept.
This is crucial in the early years of childhood. A positive self-concept is essential for children to feel confident, be able to try new things and achieve success. Parents have the responsibility and opportunity to instill a positive self-concept within their children.
What can parents do for their children to have a positive self-concept and self-image?
1. Pay attention to the language you use when describing your children. Don’t use words like ‘lazy, naughty, aggressive, or ‘mean’ to describe your children. Instead, find and highlight your child’s strengths.
2. Give them opportunities to succeed. Your child should be able to complete tasks on her own. Doing so will help your child feel proud and build a positive attitude.
3. Your children should know that you believe in them and have faith in their ability. It is all about language choice. You might say “You naughty girls!” if your toddler hits another child out of frustration. You are so mean! It’s unbelievable that you have hit him. You’re in serious trouble!” Or you could say, “You got mad and hit him.” It’s not okay to hit. I understand that you didn’t mean hurting him. What can you do to express your frustrations in other ways?
4. Spend time with your partner. Feeling loved and valued is a key part of a healthy self-concept. Enjoy this time together, and try to avoid critics and lectures.
5. Your child’s interests should be supported. Find out what interests your child and help him to master that skill or achieve his goals. Positive self-image is built by feeling competent and proficient at something.
6. Establish reasonable rules that you will adhere to with love and kindness. Your rules should be age-appropriate, clear, and concise. These rules will help your child feel secure and teach her how to manage herself. But, it can be detrimental to your child’s self-concept if you force them to follow the rules. Your child should understand that mistakes are part of human nature and not a sign of weakness. Keep your child’s dignity in the forefront when you are imposing consequences.
7. Encourage your child to learn how to manage his emotions, and to solve problems. Positive parenting is all about problem solving. Children learn how to solve their own problems and build self-confidence. It is important to learn how to manage emotions and to be able to look at a situation objectively.
8. Keep your child connected. Connecting keeps communication open and vital as your child enters adulthood. It will make her feel safe, secure, and important knowing that she can talk to you, that you will listen without judging her immediately, and that you will take her feelings seriously.
9. Allow her to explore her surroundings, ask questions, and engage in pretend play. We must not squash children’s curiosity and imagination. Allow children to explore and have fun in order to foster curiosity and imagination.
10. Recognize effort and offer encouragement. Children should understand that the goal is not first place, but that their personal best is a victory, regardless of where they land. As she matures, her self-evaluation and self-concept will be more important. She needs to learn to highlight her accomplishments and strengths, even if they don’t win.
A healthy self-concept can help a child develop positively and improve their overall well-being. A healthy self-concept helps a child see himself as loved, valued, and loving. That’s what we want for our children.
Create a nurturing environment for your children
Although stress is inevitable in every household, I strive to make it an exception. We can all do little things every day to create a loving environment for our children.
You can manage conflict effectively
This is true for conflict with your spouse as well as conflict with your children. A child’s inner stress is created by anger expressed in loud yelling and violent outbursts. You will teach them how to manage conflict. How do you manage conflict? Does it teach them how to handle conflict calmly and wisely? Your children will be more stable if you can resolve conflict maturely. They are taught that even though people may disagree, relationships can still be formed.
Give them some time:
Children feel valued when we are kind to them. They’ll feel like you aren’t caring about them as much if they’re competing with Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. Your phone should be put away when your children are present with you. Ask your children questions, hug them and then leave the phone behind.
Accept your child:
Acceptance and nurturing go hand-in-hand. Acceptance and nurturing go hand in hand. You can say things like, “You’re such an amazing kid!” or “I’m so glad that you’re my girl.” You can also show acceptance by supporting your child’s interests, even if they are different from yours. We don’t want our children to feel disappointed by their abilities or failures.
Set boundaries:
What is nurturing? Structure. Structure is essential for children. Children feel safe and nurtured when their world is predictable and orderly. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you should be a great housekeeper. This doesn’t mean you have to be a good housekeeper (I am not! ), but it does mean that your expectations and rules should be consistent. Explain the “why” behind every rule. Even if they don’t get it, your family will learn from the process of deciding what is important to them.
Love:
Nurturing without love is the key to a safe, predictable, and peaceful home. Tell your children how much you love them. Make time in your schedule to spend quality time with them. Nurturing relationships begin and end with love
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How to nurture your child’s imagination and creativity
Child Development is more than just academics. While subjects like reading, writing, and mathematics are important, they are only a small part of what a child should learn as they grow. ” whole-child development” is a very popular and effective way to teach children in recent years. What does whole-child development mean?
The “whole child” is what teachers, school leaders, parents, and other caregivers do to nurture a child’s self-worth. This encompasses all aspects of a child’s well-being. Research has shown that each aspect of a child’s success is dependent on how they treat them.
The child should feel comfortable enough to try new things and make mistakes while he/she is learning and growing. A child’s education should aim to help him or her become a productive adult member of society.
Children can’t reach their full potential without being treated as whole, complete individuals with many parts. Let’s take a closer look at some of these components. This article will be primarily about social-emotional development. It will also include mindfulness and ways to foster higher-level thought.
Social-Emotional Development Children must learn to build positive relationships with others. This applies to teachers, parents, peers, and any other authority figures. Learning social-emotional skills starts at home. Children should be taught kindness and gratitude by their parents. Parents should treat their children with kindness and gratitude, and teach them to do the same for their children.
When necessary, parents should also discipline their children. Kindness does not mean that children should be allowed to do things they shouldn’t. To feel loved and cared for, children need boundaries and rules. While it is necessary to correct a child, this should not be done in a degrading or negative way.
A good request might be something like “Please remember that I asked you clean up your room.” You must take care of your room so you don’t trip over your toys. Parents must be firm but kind so the child understands what they expect and have no loss of dignity. Parents should use positive affirmations to help children complete their tasks. For example, “Thanks for cleaning up my room.”
Mindfulness– Social-Emotional Learning is also about the child’s self-awareness. It is important to teach children how to recognize their thoughts and feelings. Teachers and parents should model how to communicate thoughts and feelings to others. Learning how to express emotions in healthy ways is important for children. SEL helps children understand how their actions impact others and themselves. It is essential to understand how others react to your actions and decisions throughout your life.
Nature connections
Nature can bring beauty, calm and creativity to any environment. Every day, give children the opportunity to explore the world around them. Good health can be achieved through exercise and fresh air. Studies show that children who are physically fit are happier. Happier children create happier environments.
Display natural items in your home, especially those that were discovered by children! You can display beautiful items from nature in the indoor environment, including leaves, flowers and rocks, as well as interesting sticks and plants. Children begin to respect and be awed by natural materials and show an appreciation for their parents. Caring for the environment is a sign of caring for one another.
Engaging Environments
Children can focus if they have lots of space and time to explore. They also need developmentally appropriate, interesting, and creative materials. Boredom and having nothing to do may lead to unwanted behavior. However, a child who is happy playing in the playground supports peaceful environments.
Children need to feel safe and comfortable in a place that is welcoming and provides a nurturing environment. Children thrive in calm, positive environments that provide stability, predictability and optimism.