Time to start raising a child

Experts point out that raising a child begins when he is an infant. When the child reaches the sixth month of age, he begins to understand the meaning of the word “no”; Therefore, the time is appropriate to start setting limits for him about right and wrong to later reflect on his actions and words,[

1] and this is through following a set of effective educational strategies that can be summed up in ignoring the child’s negative behaviors and distracting his attention from them to perform the desired activities and behaviors,

[2] as well as It is important to teach the child to discipline, as the child grows, it is natural for the mother to notice some inappropriate behaviors emanating from him, then she can intervene positively and guide the child to other better behaviors,

[3] learning discipline will teach the child to distinguish between right and wrong, and will make him able To make fruitful decisions in his future life that will help him achieve success.


 Factors that facilitate the process of raising a child


There are a number of factors that facilitate the process of raising a child, the most important of which are the following: 

[5] Effective Discipline: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, effective discipline is based on the formation of a friendly and supportive relationship between a child and his parents, and on the other hand, the Academy has shown that fear within certain limits is an important motive for good behavior. Achieving effective discipline in the child, and it is possible to start forming that friendly relationship between the child and his parents by feeding him when he is hungry, embracing him when he is upset, changing his clothes when needed, and interacting with him in a useful and effective manner. Routine: The routine helps the child to anticipate what can happen, which contributes to reducing behavioral problems that may appear in the future,

[5] so that the child follows schedules that increases the speed of his learning of many things expected of him in specific periods of time, and this also makes him calmer and less tense and anxious, as it is preferable to allow the child to determine the times to do and adhere to his own activities; Such as his bedtimes, meal times, and performing routine activities that he prefers to do, as this teaches him that his desires are an important factor in regulating his life. Parents achieve three basic skills: maintaining respectful communication with the child, talking to him using simple words and short phrases that are understandable to him, and dealing firmly and not being lenient in serious situations. There are many things that must be done when raising a child, the most important of which are the following:

 [8] Showing love for the child: The child must be told how much the parents love him, and the parents must be a model of politeness and respect in their dealings with the child himself or with others, and that They are constantly correcting their behavior. Firm enough: Parents who are able to set acceptable and fair boundaries make the child feel loved and protected. Excessively forgiving the child can make him feel that his parents are not interested in his behavior. Pay attention to the personal differences between children: It is important to take into account the personal differences between children when raising them, an assertive tone of voice may be useful with some children while others may respond better to a gentle tone. Constancy in dealing with the child: It is important for the parents to maintain a certain position issued by them, for example, when warning the child not to stand on the seat and then letting him stand on it at a later time, this is a confusing matter for the child; Therefore, parents should follow up on the child when warning him not to do something, especially if the child ignores instructions, as teaching the child to comply with the instructions and listen to the parents’ commands requires a lot of patience and repetition. Praise the child: It is good to praise the child when he has done a good job, such as offering his toy to his friend to play with it. This encourages him and highlights the positive side of his personality.

There are not many things that should be avoided when starting a child’s education, the most important of which are the following: 

[8] Avoiding exaggeration in firmness and strictness: Parents should set acceptable standards for the child’s behavior, setting very high standards and emphasizing that the child feels unable to succeed or Inability to control himself and act properly when he is out of the sight of his parents. Avoiding child neglect: It is important to warn the child of dangerous things, such as touching a hot stove, for example, as the child cannot be relied upon to avoid these matters because he is not aware of their danger. Avoid criticizing or hitting the child: Hitting and criticizing the child increases his acquisition of aggressive behavior in the future. Parents must realize that everything that the child issues is due to his curiosity and love of discovery, not because he is a bad child. For example, when a child tries to catch a cat’s tail, curiosity is what drives him to do so. not because he is a bad or bad child; Therefore, hitting him or criticizing him will not contribute to teaching him the correct behavior in dealing with cats. Avoid saying no always: the word no force loses its effect when it is overused with the child, and it is better to use alternatives and distractions by paraphrasing the rejection or prohibition, instead of preventing the child from using the knife by saying: Do not use the knife, it can be said: This knife is sharp You can use this big spoon.