Importance of establishing security and stability in a child’s life

Parenting responsibility is not something that any of us should take it lightly. Infact it is the most difficult undertakings. The manner in which you approach your role and the attitude you adopt makes a great impact on your child. The most critical ingredients your child needs to develop and thrive on are security and stability. You can establish security and stability to your child in simple, everyday ways. The social and emotional development of your child has significant implications for their current and future growth in learning, exploring, blossoming in social, educational and employment success. By your daily actions of nurturing routine you can form a framework of love and commitment which helps the child to grow intellectually. 

Role of parents in providing security and stability to children

• Daily spend some quiet moments with your child. Regularly express your love and commitment to your child during these moments. Keep making amendments in the way you show your love as your child passes through each milestone.
• By providing daily nurturing, love and affection to the child through the childhood you can create a feeling of solidarity between her and the family and which helps the kids to grow more obedient and respectful.
• Know your child’s interest, maturity and sense of humor and select a book or an article accordingly to read to your child each and every day.  Spend one-on-one time reading to your child.
• Establishing routines play the most crucial role in providing security and stability to your child. Work out routines for morning, after school, meal time and bedtime for your child. These routines should be manageable, orderly and predictable. 

Creating dependable and predictable routine is one of the most important jobs of being a parent.  Not only children but even older kids require predictable routines. The simple acts established in the everyday routine are soothing when the crisis strikes. It conveys an important message that even when things go wrong your love and commitment towards your child will remain. Routines are also important for parents as they know what to expect from their child. By setting routines they can also get some time alone to enjoy some peace and quiet. It is also important to set up a morning routine such that your children can succeed doing things for themselves. This provides a great opportunity to practice independence. Encourage the kids to do for themselves. This approach makes everyone a winner.

Creating a bedtime routine just for your toddler is not important but it is equally important for teenage child. At this age you child is independent to manage his bedtime routine of showering, brushing and reading on her own. But it is still very important to regroup with her for a short time at the end of the day. Invent a routine that the two of you can share and talk about different happenings of the day, with a cup of hot chocolate. This is an excellent way to reconnect with your teenager just before the bedtime. You can see your teenager growing to be more responsible and obedient individual by following this routine. It is very important that you create and maintain a stable routine for your child to have effective results.

From the very first days and weeks of child’s life, she can feel the sense of security from the nurturing of the parents.  Security is the foundation of all that follows for the children. It starts from the very first days of the life and continues on through all of development. Many parents stop showing affection and praising during the early adolescence as they feel that the child does not require it anymore. But it is very important to show the same affection and love even when they grow up. Children always need to know that there is a place of security that they can touch base with all throughout their developmental age.

Help your baby learn to sleep

Parenting is a rewarding as well as challenging experience. The most common thing experienced by parents of small babies is sleepless nights. As adults need their sleep to rejuvenate, babies also need to rest at proper times. But the best way to solve this dilemma is by helping your baby learn how to sleep. Babies younger than four months have different sleep patterns than the older ones. It is very important to understand your babies sleeping pattern as it will help you have reasonable expectations regarding their sleep. All babies are different and we should respect their preferences. Observe and understand her schedule and ways of communicating. 

Sleep patterns of babies:

Newborn babies often sleep 16 or more hours per day. She sleeps when she is tired it is that simple. You cannot force her to sleep when she doesn’t want to. In the same way you cannot keep her awake if she is sleepy or wakes her up from her sleep. For a new born the sleep pattern is done in stretches of just one or two hours at a time. During earlier months the babies have tremendous growth spurts which demand more food even during the night. They can have longer consistent sleep patterns only once their nervous system matures. As the time progresses and your child become 3-4 months she will sleep for 5 hours during the night. By the time they are six months old they can sleep for nine to twelve hours at night. Eventually they settle down and sleep whole night through.

How will you help your baby learn to sleep?

• It is very important that the babies should get tired. A parent should plan a well scheduled activity for the day. She should be kept busy by talking, singing and playing. Provide your baby with lots of light. This kind of activities during the day promotes good sleep at night.
• It should be a habit for the parent to make consistent bedtime routine. By giving them warm water bath, reading, singing and cuddling your child just before bedtime will help her to sleep.
• The baby should be allowed regular naps during the day time and not during the evening as this may cause the baby to stay wide awake in the night. It is important that you monitor your baby’s naps.
• It is important that they are taken to bed when they feel drowsy as they will associate bed with sleeping. She should be put to sleep on her back.
• The baby should be at ease when putting her to sleep. Let her find a comfortable position, if she makes a fuss at the beginning give her time to settle down. Speak calmly or sing to give reassurance to her about your presence.
• Many parents provide pacifiers, bottles or soft toy to the baby to have complete and restful night’s sleep.
• Make his crib comfortable and welcoming. It should be neatly done and should be clean and dry.

Creating an environment which is conducive to sleep as it helps the baby to have good sleep. The baby is use to the dark for nine months inside a mother’s womb. Hence the baby is use to the darkness so turn the lights down low and you can also use shutters, blinds and drapes that help to block the light from outside. 

Though we all wish that we can just click our fingers and the baby will go off to sleep, but it does not happen so. Helping your child learn to sleep is a gradual and consistent process. By establishing good bedtime habits you can facilitate this process and making sure that your baby knows that nighttime is sleep time.