Parents often worry about their children’s safety and well-being. But delinquency can arise unexpectedly, leading to a life of crime in the future involving police intervention, bail bondsman services, and many court hearings. It can be scary to know what you should do and how you should do it, but the following child parenting tips should help to prevent this prospect.
1. Establish your authority early on
Maintain your authority by not showing signs of weakness in front of your kids. If they see that you’re indecisive or don’t really care, then they’ll get the idea that they can get away with anything. Kids also learn from watching their parents’ behavior – which means if you want them to behave a certain way, then act like it yourself. For example, if you want your child to eat healthier food for lunch at school, pack them a healthy lunch instead of sending money for canteen food.
2. Set rules and expectations and stick to them
Kids are used to rules and expectations being set, followed by change. If there is no consistency about what they can do or not do, how they behave or not behave, they will misbehave simply because of confusion. Let them know that certain things are okay – but only if they behave in a certain way. For example, if your kid loves to play video games, he/she should only do so after completing homework and chores.
3. Explain the reasons behind rules and expectations
If your child doesn’t understand why he/she should behave in a certain way, then they won’t do so. And even if they do, it’s probably because you told them to and not because they really want to be good for the sake of it. You need to explain things in such a way that kids can understand it – no matter what age they are. If an 8-year-old wants to know why he has to go to bed at 7:30 and his friend can stay up later, explain it to him/her – not with a yes or no answer, but with simple reasoning behind it.
4. Maintain good lines of communication
If you want to know something, you can ask your kids. Make sure they understand that it’s okay to tell the truth – no matter how bad it may be. No one is perfect, and there will always be room for improvement (including yourself). But if you want kids who are truthful and willing to cooperate with you, then it all starts with open lines of communication with parents.
5. Teach kids from a young age that everyone makes mistakes
No one is perfect – and this includes you, their parents. If you make the mistake of allowing them to think they can do no wrong, then they’ll find ways to hide everything from you. But if you show your kids empathy when making a mistake or having a difficult time, it will encourage them to do the same. Kids learn from watching their parents’ behavior and making connections with the things they say.
6. Encourage positive mental and physical activities
Kids should be doing something productive every day – even if it’s just an hour or two of studying or reading news online. If you instill the idea that every day is valuable and must be used for something beneficial, then they’ll get into that mindset. And if you want them to lead healthy lives (and not fall victim to drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc.), encourage physical activities like sports or dance practice.
7. Teach kids about consequences
Kids will inevitably see things happening around them, and they’ll want to do the same just because everyone else is doing it. This can include things like bullying, violence, etc. And since kids don’t have much control over their impulses in their earlier years of life, you need to explain the consequences of their actions when they’re still young.
8. Offer plenty of love and support
Finally and most importantly, you need to always show your kids how much they are loved. Offer them encouragement when they start performing well and provide discipline if they misbehave. A child needs about five positive interactions for every negative interaction before it will have a long-term effect on behavior.
In conclusion, if you want to rear kids that will grow up into responsible adults, you need to offer them guidance and comfort. Let them know the world is a scary place, but it’s okay to be scared sometimes because there are plenty of people – you being one – who will help guide them in the right direction. With enough support, love, and parenting tips to prevent delinquency in kids, they can have bright futures ahead of them.
