A Growth Parenting Mindset: Eight Strategies To Use With Young Children

• Find JOY in being a parent. Parenting is a rewarding experience. Enjoy the joyful moments and the frequent milestones that your child reaches. Celebrate them together. 
• Empathize. Empathize with children when they need support. When children make mistakes or have a hard day, remember it is an opportunity to connect. Connect before you correct.  
• Set limits and be consistent. Children need to know what is expected of them and what the rewards and consequences will be if they follow or break the rules. Use a "when/then" approach. Be consistent, so that your child knows what to expect.
• Use Role Modeling. Children learn by watching the adults in their lives. If you want your child to be a good person, be a good role model for them. Model values you want children to adopt. If you do not like something your child is doing, think about how you handle yourself in that same situation (i.e., do you yell when upset? do you apologize when you do something to hurt someone?). You can always change a negative habit to a positive one, by working on it and modeling how to do that for your child! 
• Make time for your kids. Spending time with your children is important for their development and well-being. Make sure to set aside time each day to play with them, read to them, or just talk to them. Quality over quantity, be present with the time you do spend together. 
• Boost your child's self-esteem by teaching skills! Children need to feel good about themselves in order to grow and develop. Take the time to teach children how to do things independently, at their developmental level. Be willing to break down a task, teach the steps until your child masters their new skill (i.e., making a bed, folding their clothes, packing their school backpack). Praise your child's effort often and let them know that you are proud of them for their growing abilities! 
• Catch kids being good. When your child does something good, be sure to praise their effort. This will help them to feel good about themselves and to continue to do good things. 
• Be patient. Parenting is one of the hardest jobs on the planet, raising another human being! It takes patience. There will be times when you are frustrated or angry, but it is important to remember that your child is still learning and growing. You can get through messy moments with patience! 
• Ask for help when you need it. There is no shame in asking for help when you need it. For quick tips, listen to our podcast: Messy Parenting: Progress Not Perfection®