Effective parenting is critical to a child's development and future well-being. Parenting has a tremendous impact on growth that goes beyond meeting basic physical needs; it also touches on the complex areas of emotional, cognitive, and social development (Lanjekar, P. D, et al, 2022). As time goes by, parenting is a complex and challenging task that is affected by various issues in today's society as the world keep developing. One of the issue of parenting nowadays is the difficulities to communicate between parents and their children. The reason of the following issue known to be caused by the cultural difference between parents and their children (Samokhvalova, 2016)
A lack of communication in parenting can have negative consequences on children's development and family dynamics. For example, if parents do not communicate effectively with their children, children may feel neglected or misunderstood, leading to behavioral problems and emotional distress (Wei, Haiqing & Su, Zuqi, 2023). Additionally, a lack of communication between parents can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts that can negatively impact the family's overall well-being. Here are some strategies to improve communication in parenting:
- Get to know how your child communicates: Some children love to chat about anything, while others tend to be more reserved. Getting to know the way in which your child communicates can help you to understand how best to communicate with them
- Encourage communication through play: Parent-child communication is not limited to serious discussions. You can also accomplish a lot with simple games too! By playing together, you are able to bond and connect with your child as you create a warm and loving environment
- Strike up conversations between activities: Take advantage of the seemingly trivial moments you have with your child just to talk. This might be in the car when driving to music lessons, grabbing a quick breakfast before work and school, at the dinner table, or even just before bed
- Avoid lecturing and respect your child's perspective: It's important to remember that communication is a two-way street. Even if you don't agree with your child's perspective, it's important to show that you still respect them enough as individuals who can think for themselves and express their thoughts without fear of judgment
In summary, effective communication is key to positive parent-child relationships. By understanding how your child communicates, listening to them, encouraging communication through play, striking up conversations between activities, and avoiding lecturing, you can improve communication in parenting and create a nurturing and supportive environment for your child's growth and well-being.
LIST OF REFERENCES
Samokhvalova, A.G. (2016) 'Parenting mistakes as a factor in communication difficulties in children', Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 233, pp. 123--127. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.10.164.
Lanjekar, P. D., Joshi, S. H., Lanjekar, P. D., & Wagh, V. (2022). The Effect of Parenting and the Parent-Child Relationship on a Child's Cognitive Development: A Literature Review. Cureus, 14(10), e30574. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.30574
Wei, Haiqing & Su, Zuqi. (2023). The Ways of Communication with Parents and The Parenting Styles During Adolescence. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences. 7. 144-147. 10.54097/ehss.v7i.4076.
Young Scholars Academy (2021) 5 tips for improving parent-child communication, Young Scholars Academy. Available at: https://www.youngscholarsacademycolorado.com/parent-child-communication/ (Accessed: 04 December 2023).
Effective communication with parents and carers: For professionals (2021) Raising Children Network. Available at: https://raisingchildren.net.au/for-professionals/working-with-parents/communicating-with-parents/communication-with-parents (Accessed: 04 December 2023).