Being a parent is far from easy, and being an intentional parent is even harder. However, your parenting style matters and being intentional is extremely beneficial for your children. Here are three ways to be more intentional as a parent:
Know that the driver’s seat doesn’t always have to be taken
Your child learns best through trial and error. Being too quick to rescue her or him can make them get accustomed to the fact that there will always be someone to smooth out difficult patches. While there is a strong link between parental intervention and children’s well-being, research shows that being over-responsive to children can be counterproductive. Science says that inappropriate parental intervention can lead your child to develop greater anxiety and stress and could even lead her to develop ineffective coping skills in adulthood. Here are two ideas:
- Give your children chores. Research has found that giving your kid regular chores may have long-lasting benefits academically, socially, emotionally, and professionally.
- Let your child be bored. Provide less structured learning environments where your children can use their imagination to entertain themselves.
Teach your kids to support companies who strive to make the world better
This is something that I think about a lot. After I am gone, what will this world be like for my children and my grandchildren? I work each and every single day to make sure that I am trying my best to be eco-conscious and make good decisions to work towards making the world better for my kids and their kids and their kids. But, one thing that a lot of people do not think about is the companies that we are supporting. You have two options: you can choose to support companies who do not care about this at all, or you can choose to support companies who do work towards enhanced sustainability, eco-conscious decisions, and more. In addition to this, supporting the local economy is very, very important in my eyes. When you choose to support better businesses and local businesses, you are making a conscious decision to show your children how to improve the local economy and how to (hopefully) make the world better – now and for years to come. All you have to do is make the simple choice by researching companies that do better.
How do you find these companies? Search for them! For example, if you need a local business for injection molded optics, search “injection molded optics Georgia.” One company that might come up is Criterion Technology, Inc. and if it does come up, definitely jump at the chance to work with them. I think they are the perfect example because Criterion Technology believes in supporting the local economy and also believes in protecting the environment. Here are their beliefs on both of those:
Protecting the environment- “With several aggressive and comprehensive recycling and waste disposal programs in place, Criterion has taken a true leadership role in working to protect our environment. From plastics to corrugated paper to chemical waste disposal, Criterion meets and exceeds all federal and state laws in an effort to protect and preserve our valuable resources.”
Supporting the local economy- “Criterion actively supports local charities and community organizations. We participate in civic programs such as Smoke on the Water, a festival supporting local volunteer fire departments, and the Harbor House, a temporary home for children from dangerous environments. Our employees also passionately support the Empty Stocking Fund toy and food drive for underprivileged children.”
See – there are companies out there that believe that creating a better world now and in the future is important. These are the companies that you need to support, and Criterion Technology, Inc. is the perfect example of that! Criterion Technology is the industry leader of the highest quality clear component parts molded from polycarbonate, acrylic, and an exclusive optical grade nylon. They specialize in injection molding and they display supreme material expertise, vast technical knowledge, and amazing on-site testing.
Make time to bond with your kids – every single day
Is there ever enough time when you’re a parent? Finding the time to spend with your kids is not always easy, yet it is this time spent together that determines your bond and the type of relationship you build during the childhood years and beyond. Regardless of how much you have on your plate, it is always possible to find moments to spend with your kids. Intentional parenting is about connecting with your child every day. The good news is that there are relatively easy ways to make time even when you have a crazy schedule. Simple ways to be intentional in your parenting when it comes to bonding are:
- Grab little pieces of time to connect – when shopping, driving in the car, waiting in queue, etc.
- Start morning or evening routines that help you connect with your kid
