If you’re a parent, then you likely know exactly how challenging it can be to get your kids to behave.
You obviously want what’s best for your kids. But sometimes, it can be difficult to get them to act in a behaved and respectful manner—especially around other people.
So in this post, you’re going to learn 5 basic tips for how to get started on the right track to helping your children with establishing better boundaries for behavior.
This is important, because your children’s health, wellness, and social success are really at stake.
The better kids learn to integrate with their social circles successfully, the more likely it’ll be that they’ll enjoy success in other areas of life as well.
So let’s jump into it.
1. Lead Your Children
Some parents make the mistake of letting their kids make too many options and choices.
But here’s the thing:
Your children don’t really know what’s good for them.
And often, it’s just better for the parent to make the choices, rather than asking the child what they want or desire.
So yes—listen to your children and hear them out. But at the end of the day, it’s up to you to determine what’s ultimately best for them.
2. Invest Time Into Your Children
Children will always do better when their parents invest the proper time into them. Leaving kids to their own devices from time to time is certainly healthy, but children also need hands-on, direct parental/adult guidance to learn how to navigate the world and figure out what the boundaries are.
3. Have Your Own Life Together
Remember that your children will always look at you, first and foremost, as an example of how to live a successful life.
Therefore, if your life (for one reason or another) isn’t quite on-track for where you’d like your kids to end up when they are adults, it would probably be a good idea to start making changes that will show them exactly how responsible, successful adults manage their affairs.
4. Have An Intentional Discussion With Your Children About Boundaries
Kids won’t know what the boundaries and rules are unless you talk about them and describe them.
For best results, keep the rules as simple as possible—but make sure that you spend some time and have a conversation with your kids to help them understand these rules. This is very important.
5. Enforce The Rules With Ironclad Determination
Kids can be very determined to get away with breaking rules.
Therefore, it’s in your best interest to be more determined about enforcing them.
A lot of parents fail at this because they feel like it takes too much energy.
But this is part of what being a parent is all about.
When your kids break the rules, use consequences to enforce the rules—and do not relent until your kids seem determined to obey.
It’s pivotal for children to have this structure, so that they can have a consistent home life where they understand the consequences and where they can very accurately determine what the boundaries are.
