PARENTING PRINCIPLES: 8 Principles to Raise Healthy Kids and Build a Happy Home
Do you want to guide your family with wisdom and love? Do
you wonder how to do this effectively? If you implement
these principles, you are well on your way to raising healthy
kids and building a happy home.
1. Use values and expectations as guideposts
○ Choose your family’s core values based on your
priorities
○ Develop expectations based on these values
2. Be a parent, not a friend
○ Provide a sturdy structure in order to provide
security for your child
○ Evaluate your values and decide on boundaries
3. Be firm, but fair
○ Equip your child with the ability to take
responsibility for her actions
○ Provide consequences that make sense according to
the undesired behavior
○ Discuss setbacks and consequences -- you might
gain a new perspective
○ Reward your child with praise and appreciation
when he exceeds your expectations
4. Mistakes are okay
○ While it can be difficult, it’s important to allow your
children to struggle through hurdles
○ Learning through failure is a valuable source of
wisdom that can build resilience
5. Kids will be as successful as you believe they can be
○ Don’t lose hope in your child when he faces
repeated setbacks
○ If you start to doubt your child’s abilities, he will,
too
6. Foster a grateful heart
○ Talk about gratitude with your family every
morning and every night There are many benefits of a consistent gratitude
practice
○ Expressing gratitude for family members
strengthens relationships
7. Be active, not passive
○ Invest in memories that are enjoyable for the whole
family
○ Take a risk and learn something new by trying a
new activity as a family
○ Encourage new hobbies and participate in them
with your child
8. Teach emotional intelligence
○ Emotional intelligence is an essential part of good
social skills
○ Teach by example, get in touch with your own
emotions
○ Five key elements of emotional intelligence:
i. Self-awareness
ii. Self-regulation
iii. Motivation
iv. Empathy
v. Social skills