Parenting isn’t bread and butter; it is a call to responsibility. It is not easy to be a parent because it requires the whole you in order to raise a productive and well behaved child. Sometimes it does look as if all effort should count immediately, but i can tell you that patient and perseverance is a major ingredient in parenting. From the time the child is in the womb to when he starts to crawl and walk, and also when he finally reaches adulthood requires great effort from your part. Some of the challenges some parents do pass through are when their child aren’t doing well academically or when they have been influenced negatively. These two things are always a great concern to parents.
(1) Having some difficulty academically
Parents should be careful of being harsh on their child or criticizing him negatively when they notice he isn’t doing well academically. Some will go to an extent of comparing their child with other children that are doing very well, while some will even use a derogatory statement on their child which I sometimes view as an abuse. Some will even see such a child as a bastard or an outcast of the family. All these are not necessary and even they cannot produce a desired result in such a child. The things that parents need to do are:
- Help the child ignite his interest in his studies.
- A lot of encouragement is needed at such a time, this will help the child to have a sense that somebody cares about his success in life.
- Getting a good home teacher can also be of help during such period.
- Never let your child see that you have lost hope in him.
- Always tell him or her that you believe in him.
- Always appreciate for any little improvement.
- Give him educative exposure: sharing some exploit some people have made academically, taking him to places that can stir his interest academically
(2) When influenced negatively by environment or friends
You may not have total control on what happens in your environment, the kind of friends your child is relating with but we can assist them to overcome any influences that may poise threat to our children. Anytime you see an attitude that are unhealthy, you should immediately tighten your belt in order to assist your child overcome it. Some of the things you can do during such a period are:
- Give them attention: be close to them. This will help build cordial relationship between the two of you and you will have the chance to know how to give him necessary help.
- Don’t start bullying or acting forcefully because this may make him go weird
- Always persevere with him during the time he is doing away with such act. Don’t expect instant miracle. It is always a process to overcome unhealthy behaviour.
- Pray with him because God is the owner of our heart and has the power to heal such a life
Parents are guide to their children and they are responsible for how productive and matured they are in life.
