3 Essential Traits of Great Parents by Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready
In this blog, child education specialist Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready dives into the characteristics that make parents great and have a profound impact on their children.
Parenting is a thankless job - rewarding, but also challenging. While there are little hard-and-fast rules about parenting, some strategies and techniques adopted by parents have a lasting effect on their children, urging them to be the best version of themselves. Across generations and cultures, certain traits define great parentship. Kinder Ready Elizabeth Fraley, with years of experience, has compiled top three characteristics that set parents apart from the masses.
1. Consistency: The Foundation of Security
Experts believe that when children are familiar with their environment and know what to expect, they will thrive, both academically and emotionally. Consistent routines help the children find solace in safety and security they offer.
Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready says that when parents set clear rules and have a scheduled time for everything, children learn the importance of responsibility and emotional regulation. For example, when there is a scheduled routine of learning, playtime, eating, etc, children will be more mindful of their actions and will learn to take responsibility.
This consistency begins right from the cradle. Parents with a routine that is consistent raise emotionally sound and academically gifted children.
2. Empathy: Connecting With Your Child
What does empathy mean? It is the ability to “understand and share the feelings of another”. For children, one of the most important things is knowing that they are being seen and heard by their parents. This creates a strong bond of trust that goes beyond the formulative years.
For parents to practice empathy, they need to be able to see the world from the eyes of their children. Validating their feelings like “I know this must be scary for you” or “I can see you have difficulty doing this thing and that is okay” goes a long way. Even when correcting behavior issues, emotions need to be validated. Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready believes that when mistakes are met with empathy rather than punishment, the child will be more likely not to repeat that mistake again.
There is a drastic need to shift parenting from “control” to “connection”. Great parents understand this and go the extra mile to connect with their children. Undoubtedly, children raised like this will reflect this feeling of empathy and carry it with them throughout their life.
3. Encouragement: Building Confidence
Some parents confuse encouragement with praise. Praise focuses on outcomes and encouragement focuses on effort and progress. For example, instead of saying, “Great work done!”, try saying, “I see you worked very hard on this. Excellent effort!”.
In this way, children will not worry about the outcome but only on the efforts they are making. This is a virtue that helps them throughout their life. Encouraging efforts, even on small minimal tasks, has a long-lasting impact on children. Kinder Ready Tutoring emphasizes this encouragement and focuses on the journey of learning, rather than the end result.
Final Thoughts
A perfect parent is a myth. What works for some children, may not work for well. This is why Kinder Ready Elizabeth Fraley firmly believes in having flexibility when it comes to parenting. Each child is unique and responds differently to situations.
However, the three virtues of great parents (consistent, empathetic and encouraging) form a strong foundation for children's life. Whether it is academic or emotional development, these three strategies work wonders on children of this generation and helps in creating an everlasting bond between parents and their children.
For further details on Kinder Ready's programs, visit their website: https://www.kinderready.com/.
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethFraleyKinderReady
