Why Being Consistent in Parenting is Important

Being consistent in parenting is important as it is one of the simplest ways to improve your child’s behaviour. Being consistent in your mood and to try and offer stability to your children when they need it most is difficult but it is possible.

I have identified two categories in being consistent in parenting. Emotional consistency and creating a routine and structure.

 

Consistency in terms of a routine will teach your child how to organise their day have a structure. This will create certain boundaries which is so important throughout life.

As a parent it will be your job to be emotionally consistent and the greatest gift you can give your child is to teach them how to calm yourself down before you respond to a situation. This part was really difficult for me. The higher my stress the quicker I would snap. I had to continuously work on my stress levels and learn to breathe and meditate. 

 

You can start by creating a mealtime routine. This can be done from a very young age. Your child should always eat at the table. Set a place and eat together as a family but be flexible in allowing a variation every once in a while. This will make a morning routine so much easier. Having a morning routine sets us up for a successful day. Setting a breakfast table will allow your child to eat a healthy breakfast before school. They can also make sure their bags are packed the night before and placed to the side of the table, just ready for school. This way they can expect a hug from mom before they leave for school too.

 

Bedtime is another important routine in young children. It is a heavily debated subjects and of course it should work for you. My children. My children had a great routine when they were toddlers. We called it bath, brush, book and bed. It became an easy and pleasant routine and we especially loved reading together. A bedtime routine has fantastic benefits. It leads to better quality and longer sleep, helps improve memory and cognitive skills and definitely makes for a more peaceful end to the day. Sometimes I still smile at the routine now. My children are young adults and still have this routine today!

 

Being consistent in parenting means you should be a united front! If there’s one set of rules with one parent and another set with the other parent, you can expect a rebellious child. If children know what is expected of them, without change, they will thrive. You can make rules household rules together and stick to them. Simple rules like, waiting your turn to talk, no playing with a ball inside the house, taking your plate to the kitchen after mealtimes, screen time or where phones should be charging at night.

 

By being consistent in parenting you will teach your children to follow through. To have a motto in life, do as you say and say as you do.

 

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