Do you spank your child? You should. No I’m not talking about swatting them or punishing them. I’m talking about spanking them and doing it every day. Spank: my acronym for effective parenting.
S–Speak to your children. In this day and age we are all consumed by the TV, our phones, our computers. Nothing beats old fashion talking. Want your kids to talk more to you? Talk more to them. I don’t just mean talk at them, but engage in a conversation to know them.
P–Praise your children. For most parents this comes easily. When they play well at the game, get good grades, ace a test…but what if we praise our children…just because. Tell them how beautiful they are. Tell them how big their heart is. Praise them for who they are and not what they do!
A–Accept your children. There have been times when one of my sons have come to me to disclose a “secret.” Something they were struggling with or confused about. While they were talking I was shouting on the inside in frustration. However, I refrained from my grown up perspective to understand that at that very moment they invited me into their heart. They invited me into their world. When you are a 13 year old boy and a girl “dumps” you that is an all consuming problem. I accepted where my son was at. That created a bridge that continues. If you want them to talk to you in their teen years then accept them for who they are and what they share.
N–No! It’s ok to say this word to your child. They won’t die. They won’t be ruined. As adults we hear this word a lot. Train your child on how to accept No and deal with it. It will be much easier when they hear it from a potential employer, a college they wanted to get into or a date they wanted to have.
K–Knowledge. The old saying is that Knowledge is Power. You can be a very powerful force in your child’s life. All it takes is a bit of knowledge of their world. I don’t particularly care for the current trends in music or fashion but I gained that knowledge so that I could talk to my sons about things that were important to them. Thus, having knowledge about your children and their likes/desires/concerns is having power in your child’s life.
So, with this acronym I hope that more parents start to spank their children! We would love to hear about how you have started to spank your child. Drop us a line at info@JusticeLegalGroup.com and let us know how your spanking is going. You can also reach us for any family law issue you may be faced with by calling us at 505-880-8737.