Family life can often be harsh but we can all agree that having kids is the most fulfilling thing in our lives. But why not make everything easier if it's possible? We have collected 5 tips that will definitely make you feel more relaxed, and will make things go easier in your home:
- Take care of yourself - Parents tend to pay all their attention to their loved ones. Their partner, and the kids. However, you should not forget that you are also a human being, you also have needs. If you do not sacrifice some time at the altar of your own well-being, then you will slowly become bitter, and will not be able to satisfy the emotional needs of your family. Feel no guilt about spending some time caring about yourself. After all, your family wants the best for you, and they need the best you.
- Do not forget your role - You are their parents not their friends. Children need rules, boundaries, otherwise they will have to learn through first-hand experiences which is the harder way. You can spend quality time with them, you can be friendly with them, but stay their parents. It is your responsibility that they grow up the right way. You have to keep their best interest a priority. Stay consequent with your boundaries as if you let them cross one, you lose your credibility, and they will try to cross your limits once again.
- Joint Decisions - Talking about limits and boundaries. If your children are hitting their teenage period you should often consult with them about the rules. This way you can understand your kids better, and can emphasize the most important rules you wish to have. Be careful, setting up too many rules can make the limits look light-minded. Rather than that, make only a handful of rules, but be serious about them.
- Create Systems - If you keep asking someone to do the same thing over and over again they will get fed up with that quickly. Let's create a system instead for some more peaceful times. Assign chores and tasks to every family member to take some burden off of your back. This will also teach the kids the importance of having responsibilities.
- Get to know each other - Try to spend some quality time with your children. Ask them open questions, ask them about their friends, what their friends like, show some genuine interest in their lives. They will get more open and after some time you won't even have to ask, they will start talking by themselves. Make sure that you make time for 1 on 1 quality times also. You both need to have some family and personal bonding.
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