3 Things All Parents Should Consider Doing (That May Not Be Obvious)

Being a new parent is a trying time. You are trying to do the best you can at something you have never done before.

Anyone who tries to tell you that they have parenting figured out is likely lying. Human beings have spent thousands of years on Earth, and there is still no roadmap to raising the perfect child.

It just doesn’t exist.

What does exist are a few key topics and best practices that you as new parents will definitely want to consider with your children.

Below are 3 that you should try implementing as a parent.

Having Dinner Together

Too much time is lost with loved ones growing up these days due to the slow death of the family dinner. Kids as young as 10 years old are grabbing their home cooked meals to go to play video games or watch television.

Family dinners are the perfect time to catch up and show interest in each other’s lives. Parents often miss out on important things going on with their children simply because they don’t take the time to sit down and actually talk about them.

There is no better time than a family meal to do that. Teaching your children constant, open communication will also pay dividends as they continue to mature into young adults.

Teaching Proper Sun Safety

According to the American Association of Dermatology, cases of severe sunburn in a child’s life may lead to a higher possibly of developing melanoma as an adult. Since children don’t have much control over their exposure to the sun growing up, it’s on you as a parent to keep them safe.

Limiting sun exposure, choosing and applying the right sunscreen, and properly covering up — such as wearing sunglasses and long sleeves — are all important factors in sun safety.

When teaching your children about sun protection, it’s always best to lead by example. Everything you do has an impact on their actions.

Forcing Them to Ditch the Technology

Kids these days are being introduced to technology at younger and younger ages. Teenagers spend sometimes 10 hours or more in front of screens every single day. That’s downright scary!

How many times have you seen a child at the airport playing on a cell phone or iPad? It’s actually a fairly common thing nowadays. Yes, there are fun and educating games to play, but wouldn’t it be nice to take a break from all that screen time to sit and read a book for a bit?

Or, if they’re a younger child, how about sitting down and taking time to read to them?

Relying on technology to improve lives is one thing, but humans have grown far too dependent on them for everything.

Seriously, think about how addicted you are to it as an adult. Now imagine growing up with it your entire life. It’s time to take control of your kids’ screen time and let them know a wonderful world exists out there.

Wrapping Up

The life of a parent is never easy, but when it comes to your children, you are all they got. It’s up to you to guide and lead them into an adult life worth living. Hopefully you will consider the three points above and implement them into your home.