Parenting Tips

Bringing up a child is a very rewarding experience. But it is a challenging job, one that has tremendous responsibilities. It is a complex task and a lot of patience and understanding is required to give a good upbringing to the child.

A child's behavior and needs change in different stages of his life. A toddler's needs are different from a pre-teen's and a teenager has his own set of unique needs. A parent needs to understand the wants and needs of his young one. The role of a parent is of utmost importance as the child looks up to his parents. Therefore it is essential for parents to monitor the behavior of the child, understand his unique needs and come up with solutions to the problems he faces.

In this section, we will focus on the common issues facing pre-schoolers i.e. children from the age group of 2-5 years. We will also dwell on the steps a parent needs to take for a child's well being. A healthy parent-child relationship will ultimately reflect on the child making him a well-rounded individual.


Here are a few common behavioral problems that a child faces:

Shyness
Hyperactivity
Eating Problems
Temper Tantrums
Phobias or Fears

Shyness

Does your child tuck her head into your shoulder when a relative or a friend gets too close or does she hold back from joining group activities? Shyness is extremely common among 2-3 year olds. It is believed that a child's behavior patterns are a result of both genetic and environmental influences. Some children feel comfortable around peers but not around adults and sometimes it is vice-versa. But with a little bit of understanding, your child can come out of her shell. This is what you can do:

Initially, stick with activities that involve smaller groups and quiet or familiar
environments. At a later stage, expose the child to unfamiliar settings and people.
Any time your toddler reaches out to make a friend or join in an activity, praise her efforts no matter how tentative.
Prevent labelling of the children as "shy". Otherwise she will come to believe it. Teach the children to identify and verbally express their emotions.


Hyperactivity

While some children sit quietly, some are exactly the opposite - they are hyperactive. They want to do something all the time - like running around or talking incessantly.
Their energy is boundless so they are hyperactive.

Reason:
Most of the time, children are hyperactive because they are bored.

Solution:
It is essential to get the child involved in some activity that is interesting and captures his attention. It should be something which is fun and also a learning experience.
He can also be given small jobs around the house through which he can help his dad and mom.


Eating Problems

The dining table can see several wars between an unwilling eater (your child) and an aggressive feeder (you)! The problem can be easily dealt with if you accept the fact that the child will eat when she is hungry. Here are a few tips to deal with a child's eating problems:

Reduce the intake of the main meals if your child has snacked in between.
Don't try to make her hungry and force her to eat just to fit it into your routine! Try
and be a little flexible about the time.
Try to eat with the child - "I will eat one spoon and you will eat one too."
Arrange the food in the shape of a car or castle and spin a story around it to get the
child to eat. Avoid scary stories.


Temper Tantrums

Temper tantrums are common in young children and are a part of the growing up process.

Reasons:
The reasons could range from tiredness to anxiety or hunger. It could also be due to some changes at home or on account of sibling rivalry. Sometimes a child cannot express his feelings properly resulting in anger at himself or at you for not understanding. There are times when he throws temper tantrums due to some physical ailment. Of course, sometimes when you deny him something that he wants, he might throw a tantrum.
It is essential to find out the cause and then address the problem.

Solution:
Set a good example for your child. Avoid arguing or yelling in front of the child.
Try to remain calm. If you shout or become angry, it is likely to make things worse.
The more attention you give this behavior, the more likely it is to happen again.
As tempting as it can be, do not reward your child for stopping a tantrum.
Rewards may teach your child that a temper tantrum will help her get her way.
Distract your child from activities likely to lead to a tantrum. Suggest different
activities. If you are indoors, try taking your child outside to distract his attention.
Make sure your child is well rested, especially before a busy day or stressful activity.


Phobias or Fears

Most children as well as some adults face a variety of fears or phobias. Sometimes these fears do not cause a major problem in day-to-day life but sometimes they are cause for concern as it disrupts the rhythm of life. Some of the common phobias faced by children are:

Fear of the dark:
This fear is common in children between the ages of two and six. It is not actually the darkness that they fear; a child is frightened of the things he supposes are prowling around in the dark. When the child gets afraid at night, turn on the lights and search together for the things he is afraid of to assure him that it is not there. Sometimes the shadows that he sees at night also instil fear in the child. Show the child how these shadows are cast - in fact you can make animal shadows together with your hands -
this will convince him of their harmlessness. This should help them cope successfully
with the fear.

Fear of water:
Some children hesitate to enter water. Do not throw the child in the water in order for him to get over his fear and do not shame him into doing it. It is essential to avoid putting any pressure on the child. Let him play on the beach or the bank till he gets the confidence. What could strengthen his resolve further would be to see you enjoying in the water. Of course it is essential to keep a watch on your child in the water.

Fear of doctor or medicines:
Very often children are frightened of taking injections and medicines. As a rule, if very little is said about the whole thing, the child may accept the medication as a matter of course. But if he is still hesitant about that injection, tell him that the injection will make him healthy once again and that after he is fit you can do many fun things together.
As for medicines, you can crush the pills and put it in a syrup as per the advice of the doctor. You can also hide the small pills in bread, disguising the taste with some strong and accepted flavour like honey.