Parents Who Practice Patience

As the saying goes, “Patience is a Virtue”. It’s definitely at the top of the list for child rearing. Without patience, we as parents may lose our temper and worst of all - our sanity.

We’ve all done it . . . lose our temper that is. But what message does that send to our children? We know that children repeat and imitate all that we do and say. So when we lash out at them, they react naturally by lashing back. Then what? Do you come back even stronger? No! You practice patience. You will find that on many occasions, your child simply wants attention.

When your child is enraged, try sitting down with him and take the following steps:
1. Tell him it’s ok
2. Give him a hug
3. Ask him what he needs
4. If you can’t give him what he needs, offer an alternative

If you tell your child “no” to everything he wants, he will get frustrated and begin to feel rejected.

As a test of patience, take your child on that dreaded shopping trip. You know the one – the grocery store or even worse, the toy store. Does he want everything in the snack isle or every toy in the toy store? Of course he does.

Tip: Give him one toy he can play with while sitting in the shopping cart. He will be content at least until you get to the cash register. If you don’t plan on buying the toy, you can take it from him after you pay for your other items. Yes, he may scream, cry, or throw a tantrum. Be patient. At least you’re heading out the door. The end result is that you prevented him from terrorizing the place.

I found a unique way of calming my rambunctious 7 year old daughter while shopping. Instead of facing embarrassment while dragging her down from the top of a stack of unpacked product boxes, I allowed her to wrap her arms around me while helping to push the shopping cart. Surprisingly it worked! She was amazingly calm as she sang along while we shopped. She just wanted to feel her mommy’s affection and gain the attention she needed. It made me realize that is what she wanted all along. I understand that some of us don’t like clingy children, but we must acknowledge the fact that there may be a reason behind their desire to cling. When their clingy, they may be expressing their lack of affection. Embrace the moment and enjoy it while it lasts because eventually they will grow apart from you and redirect their attention to someone else. Be patient, do your part in providing the attention your child needs. You will reap the benefits in the long run.