Positive Parenting

As a parent, you are your child's first teacher. Interacting with your child in a positive way during everyday activities builds your relationship with your child.

Self regulation

As children grow, they need to learn ways of soothing or calming themselves when they are feeling stressed. This is called self-regulation.

You can help teach your child self regulation by:

  • Being a good role model
  • Teaching your child to understand their feelings
  • Naming and labelling feelings
  • Praising your child's attempts to share their feelings
  • Practicing ways of calming down

Child growth and development

Your child's behaviour has a lot to do with their age and their stage of development. It is connected to what they can do, how they learn, and how they see and experience the world.

If you know what to expect from your child at various stages, you can learn to guide them in a positive way that supports their growth. As your child grows and starts to explore, make sure you provide safe spaces for them. 

Baby/Infant

An infant under one year of age cries to make his needs known. Comfort your baby. They may be:

  • Hungry
  • Tired
  • Bored
  • Over stimulated
  • Scared
  • Sick
  • Need a diaper change

Babies cry for many reasons, but never to make you angry. For more information read about Soothing Your Crying Baby If you are feeling frustrated or angry by the baby's crying, put the baby down in a safe place and ask someone to help you. Never shake a baby

Toddlers/Preschoolers

Your child is becoming independent, trying new things and learning to make their own decisions.

As they learn you can:

  • Create safe spaces for your child
  • Establish a routine, set limits
  • Set realistic expectations
  • Talk about what your child does well
  • Offer choices
  • Model good behaviour
  • Try to understand their behaviour

They can be frustrated by rules and limits you have set. With consistent limits your child will learn what to expect. They can become very overwhelmed by their emotions so remember to be a good role model and help them learn about their feelings by naming them.

Temper tantrums

Tantrums are a normal part of a child's development. They are learning new skills and developing a wide range of emotions very quickly. Sometimes, this new learning can be frustrating for children. When the child's frustration reaches levels they can no longer manage, they may have a tantrum.

During a temper tantrum:

  • Stay calm
  • Ignore the behaviour
  • Keep your child safe
  • Hold your child if you think they may hurt themselves or others
  • Never spank your child or use physical discipline

Additional Resources

Contact Us