What is Nurturing parenting? Is this positive or active parenting? What is the typical nurturing parent? What skills do you need to be a nurturing parent?
Great questions that we will try to answer or at least shed light on the matter. We hope that this article will be interesting and you will be able to learn something new!
Have a pleasant time!
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What is Nurturing parenting?
Nowadays, you can learn many new terms around the Internet and parenting books. Nurturing parenting is one of those. And here is what you can learn on most websites – nurturing parenting is an evidence-based program for the whole family. This is a program that is trying to help the family. The focus of those programs are topics like treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect.
However, we would like to define it separately from the nurturing parenting groups you can find and read about. To do it, we will have to answer what means “nurture”. According to the Cambridge dictionary, this means “to care for”, “look after”, “nurse” and “tend”. It is described as helping the child develop over a more extended period.
We cannot say that this is a parenting style because there are four main like Authoritarian or Disciplinarian, Permissive or Indulgent, Neglectful and Authoritative. We know that there are some that are not that famous, like active or gentle parenting. However, we will define nurturing parenting as a parenting strategy for helping the family grow together and build positive family habits.
What are the qualities of a nurturing parent?
When discussing the difference between the mother and the grandmother, we often hear the question – why the grandmothers always treat the child “better”? They prepare cakes, give sweets, have fun with the children every time. Long story short, the truth and the answer is that the grandmother does not take any responsibility.
The grandparents are not responsible for discipline, child`s actions, attitude, language used, etc. The loving parent knows that discipline is essential if you want to grow a happy, grateful and responsible person.
Why are we talking about grandparents when the topic is parents-focused? Well, we need to understand the importance and the deeper meaning of parents` actions.
Nurturing parents are mindful parents and proactive parents who want to rear happy children who, through positive experiences, have got a strong character and a sense of self-worth. On top of that, later on in life, they will model the same parenting style when they have their own children.
*Related: 10 Things I Wish I Knew as a First Time Mom Before Having a Newborn Baby
Important nurturing parenting skills
There are many great qualities and habits that you can obtain and work on. However, we will focus on some basic and really important characteristics for the nurturing strategy.
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Being a family investor
Family investors prefer to spend time with the children instead of leaving the children spend time with the Internet. If you have a child and it spends more time with the screen, it might be a good idea to reflect for a while on your priorities.
If you are asking yourself, “How am I going to spend so much time with my child?” do not worry! There are many mindful activities that you can do together. The most important question is – will you be able to invest in your children's future by spending more time with them?
We do not want to scare you but…if you do not find a way to spend time with them now, some bad person might spend time with them tomorrow.
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Listen twice more than talking
God has given us two ears and one mouth to speak less and listen more. We are not sure if this is true for most people, but there is a great logic behind it.
Being an authoritative parent requires much work on listening skills. We know that the most recommended parenting style in modern America is the authoritative. This means that listening is more than an important factor for child development. We could define it as essential.
Some moms and dads take the children to the psychologist whenever the child shows that it needs to talk with them. Please talk with your children and let them reveal their hearts and minds in front of you. Be a parent and a friend of your child.
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Army routine
Chaos is not the most favourite condition to most children. To know what to expect brings them comfort and peace. Routines like going to bed at the same time are very beneficial for babies and toddlers.
For babies, this helps with brain formation and happiness. The nervous system develops much better. There is a much less chance for the children to get ADHD (Attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder).
Parents who set rules about going to bed at a specific hour are much happier, too. Sometimes parents prefer to delay taking care of the children and going through the “bedtime routine”. However, this routine allows the parents to spend time together, take care of themselves and see a much happier child the following day.
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Sharpen the soul
If you want to take care of your children well, you need to learn to take care of yourself, too. This is one of Stephen Covey's principles in his famous book “The 7 habits of highly successful people”. It means that you cannot use an edge forever without sharpening it.
Even though that this is the 7th habit, we cannot say this is the least important. People and parents with burnout are an enormous percentage of the population nowadays. This is the reason why so many people start using drugs and alcohol. You cannot run 24/7, 7 days a week... -
Love, Love, Love
Showing love and empathy to your children is not showing weakness. Allowing your children, no matter boys or girls, to cry and show emotions is not going to make them weak, too. Responding to your baby`s cry or toddler`s cry is not a parenting mistake.
The first years of the child`s life are the time when the parts in brain that respond to developing emotions. If you have not read and do not know that emotional intelligence is vital for the kid's future, it might be a good time for you to invest time and learn more on that topic.
These are only some main characteristics and skills that you might work on. Suppose you want to develop the mindset of a nurturing parent. In that case, you may read more on the subject of authoritative parenting and gentle parenting.
Some other nurturing parenting activities include but are not limited to developing empathy in the child, coping with stress, appropriate use of rewards and punishments, etc.
*Related: The ultimate new mom care package: The best gifts for new moms!
What is Nurturing family?
Nurturing family is a family that focuses on building a loving and caring relationship with their children. The main pillars in this kind of families are focus, patience and love.
The nurturing family focuses on the individuality of every child. You cannot create a universal strategy that works for every child. Ask any mother that has more than three children and you will understand that all children are different.
Both parents are dedicated on the child`s growth, investing time with the child. The parents focus on the child`s strengths and talents and help the child grow in all areas of life while developing its talents.
Nurturing parents are mindful and proactive. If you want to grow children in a less stressful environment, you must discipline your children as early as possible. Discipline today will save you from stress tomorrow.
*Related: How to create mindful moments for kids
Nurturing parenting and positive parenting
Let`s see what stands behind positive parenting. After that, we will define if nurturing strategy is something that the positive approach includes or not. Positive parenting is a parenting style that is nurturing, consistent, caring, provides emotional security and involves leading and teaching.
Suppose you want to be a positive parent. In that case, you must provide unconditional love, set limits and boundaries, recognize every small win and positive action while supporting the child`s best interests.
We also know that positive parenting applies to children of all ages. This is a parenting style that focuses on the children`s strengths, and your goal as a parent is to help them reach their full potential. This is the same approach that we see in nurturing parenting.
Without going into much more details about empirical pieces of evidence that prove the benefits of positive parenting, we could say that nurturing strategy is part of some parenting styles like the positive one.
Interesting books about parenting you can read:
Positive Parenting: An Essential Guide (The Positive Parent Series)
The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind
Conclusion
Nurturing parenting may not be a parenting style, but it is an excellent strategy for parents who prefer to focus on the long term development of their children. This strategy allows parents to support children and help them reach their full potential. You can find this strategy in parenting styles like positive parenting.
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