Positive Parenting

The moment your child is born, you begin preparing them for independence. That is parenting. It can seem like a big task, but the good news is that it happens in many tiny steps of nurturing, protecting, and guiding.

Explore this page to learn more about positive parenting, discipline tips, and resources.

Positive Parenting Basics

Basics

There is no such thing as a perfect parent, but there are endless ways to be a good parent. Positive parenting is one approach that involves tailoring your parenting to your individual child’s personality and developmental stage.

Early childhood can be a challenging time for both kids and parents. Remember that your child is not trying to push your buttons on purpose, but is doing the best they can with the skills they have. For young children, this can mean a lot of crying and acting out while they learn to name their feelings and use their words. By setting loving, firm boundaries and setting clear expectations in a safe, nurturing way, parenting is a lot more likely to be enjoyable for you. Setting this environment for your child early on makes it more likely that they will continue to come to you as they grow older.

Here are some tips for positive parenting

Focus on the positive

Children need to know what is expected of them. Make sure to tell them when they make you proud or when they are helpful or kind.

Fill your tank

If you are not feeling patient, pause and think about what unmet need you may have. Prioritize caring for yourself.

Forgive yourself

Nobody is perfect and parenting can be stressful. It is ok to have a misstep. The most important thing is to acknowledge it to your child and apologize.

Be a model

The most powerful way to teach your child how to handle tough situations is to model it yourself. We all want empathy and respect, so provide those to your child as well.

Connect

Take a few moments a day to play with, read to, or be affectionate with your child. Often, if a child is acting out, they are just craving your attention.