Good parenting, and how to be a good mother is a question many new moms ask themselves. Every mom sometimes bumps into a few moments that don’t seem so pedagogically sound. Quickly throw that tablet in their lap to keep them busy or serve them a sandwich with chocolate so that they stop musing. That doesn’t make you a bad mother at all. Because what if we told you that good parenting has nothing at all to do with these pitfalls? These five secrets, on the other hand, have been proven to boost your mothering skills.
1. Put your kids to bed early
Parents who put their children to bed early not only have more hours to watch Netflix, but also boost their children’s health. For example, an early bedtime would be beneficial for their physical, emotional and cognitive development. Study shows that going to bed late and staying with your kids when they fall asleep has a very bad effect on their sleep patterns. For example, they experience more difficulties in falling asleep and wake up more often. Children with no set time to go to bed generally also get less sleep per night.
2. Go for a digital detox
The question how to be a good mother might also be good for your own wellbeing. A study by family and consumer sciences professor Brandon McDaniel shows a link between technology-obsessed parents and the resulting behavioral problems in children. For example, his research shows that parents who are addicted to their smartphone, experience a disturbed relationship with their children. And their children feel that too: they show more aggressive behaviour, cry more often and bottle up their feelings more often. So it’s high time for a digital detox!
3. Sing to your baby
We know that babies recognize their parents’ voices while they are still in the womb. But there are still benefits associated with singing to your kids. It turns out that singing keeps babies calm twice as long as talking. Psychiatrists at the Stanford University School of Medicine discovered that it improves your child’s social skills. Other research shows that hearing the mother’s voice can also improve your children’s emotional well-being and math and science skills. Bonus: It doesn’t matter to your baby or toddler whether you sound like Beyoncé or not.
4. Run around with them
Research at the University of Cambridge shows that active mothers also have more active children and therefore healthier. And the more active the mother, the more active the child. In short, how to be a good mother sweaty moms = healthy kids.
5. Opt for a career
A study of 50,000 adults from 25 countries shows that the daughters of working mothers study longer, get a job faster and earn more later. In addition, it can also have a positive influence on the physical health of your children. A study by the Berlin Social Science Center shows that mothers who have a regular job can positively influence the BMI of their children. For example, the risk of being overweight is much smaller.
