30 Ways to Restore Peace into Your Parenting
Parenting is hard and it’s normal to not stay calm 100% of the time. The good news is that kids are forgiving when you apologize and there’s always going to be another chance to restore the peace and reconnect as a parent. Here’s a few practical tips to do just that:
Talk about your own feelings, using descriptive language beyond mad, sad or happy
Allow your child the opportunity to explain their perspective and share their feelings, even when they have disobeyed you
Paraphrase what they said to provide words to label their feelings
Words hold power: use positive and intentional language
Involve your child in volunteering or charitable activities
Talk about empathy and ask them to think about situations from others’ point of view
Give them responsibility and tasks at home
Practice self-care so you have energy to care for others
Apologize when you make a mistake
Show them it’s okay to be imperfect
When possible give your child options
Ask them to help repair something they caused. For example, if they knock something over, ask them to help clean it up
Hug it out!
Set guidelines so they know what is expected of them
Plan a fun ‘date’ night with with each kid
Invest in one-on-one time daily
Recognize accomplishments and focus on positive behavior
Join a community of parents for support
When possible, share a meal together as a family
Make a habit of sharing gratitudes or “Rose and Thorns” for the day- a rose is something good that happened and a thorn is something that hurt them
Get outside together
Find time to talk with your child- while traveling to school or at night before they go to bed
Sing their favorite songs together
Color them a picture/write them a special note
Our thoughts are reflected in our faces, be aware of your expressions
Encourage other adults to invest in your child
Ask questions about your child’s day
Model positive behavior- let them know when you need to cool down
Model positive behavior- be aware of how you talk in the car, on social media or in arguments
Download our printable version here!
Leave us a comment and let us know which one resonated with you and one that you’ll try!
