There are no perfect parents, but there are many things we can do that will make us great parents. Broadly speaking, this is what the experts say about how to be a good parent: Set Smart Limits Take charge. Children need limits to help them navigate and understand the often-confusing world around them. Show your love by setting boundaries so your kids can safely explore and discover their interests. Don't hold back your child's independence. Your toddler is naturally driven to become more self-sufficient. When they're capable of putting away toys, clearing their plate, or dressing themselves, allow them to do so. Giving them responsibility boosts their self-esteem (and helps maintain your sanity!). Don't try to fix everything. Allow young children to find their own solutions. When you acknowledge their minor frustrations with empathy but don't immediately step in to solve their problems, you teach them self-reliance and resilience. Remember, discipline is not punishment. Enforcing limits is about teaching children how to behave and helping them grow into competent, caring, and self-controlled individuals. Kids can't handle too many rules without becoming overwhelmed and tuning out. Avoid conflicts over minor issues like fashion choices or occasional potty language. Focus on the important rules, such as no hitting, no rude talk, or lying. Create Your Own Quality Time Play with your children and let them choose the activity, and don’t worry about rules. Just go with the flow and enjoy the moment. Also, read books together every day. Start when they’re a newborn; babies love hearing their parents’ voices. Cuddling up with a book is a wonderful bonding experience that fosters a love of reading. Schedule daily special times and allow your child to choose an activity for you to enjoy together for 10 or 15 minutes without interruptions. This is a great way to show your love. One of the best resources for improving children’s lives is time spent with their parents. Kids with engaged parents perform better in school, solve problems more effectively, and handle life’s challenges more easily. Create some warm memories. Your children might not remember everything you say, but they will cherish family traditions like bedtime routines and game nights. Be a Good Role Model Be the role model your children deserve. Kids learn by observing their parents. Demonstrating appropriate, respectful, and good behavior is much more effective than just telling them what to do. Admit when you make a mistake. This shows your child how and when to apologize. Teach your kids how easy it is to care for the environment. Practice wasting less, recycling, reusing, and conserving every day. Spend an afternoon picking up trash in the compound together. Remember to always tell the truth. If you want your child to be honest, model honesty yourself. Show affection to your partner in front of the kids. Your relationship serves as a primary example of what an intimate relationship should look, feel, and sound like. Therefore, set a positive standard. Respect parenting differences. Support your co-parent's basic approach to raising kids—unless it’s significantly problematic. Criticizing or arguing with your partner can harm your relationship and your child's sense of security more than accepting different parenting standards. Know the Best Ways to Praise Give specific praise instead of just saying, "You're great," be clear about what your child did to earn the positive reinforcement. For example, "Waiting until I was off the phone to ask for cookies was hard, and I really appreciated your patience." Highlight their good behavior. When you see your child doing something helpful or kind, let them know how you feel. This reinforces positive behavior, making them more likely to repeat it. Praise your kids indirectly as well because what we overhear is often more impactful than direct compliments. Make your praise more effective by letting your child "catch" you telling Grandma, Dad, or even their teddy bear something positive about them. Trust Yourself Cut yourself some slack. Grabbing fast food when you're too exhausted to cook doesn't make you a bad parent. Trust your instincts as well since you know your child better than anyone. Follow your gut when it comes to their health and well-being. If you feel something is wrong, you're probably right. Learn to say "no." to taking on extra work or excessive volunteer commitments so that you have time to be with your children. You’ll never regret spending more time with your children. Never tolerate disrespect nor allow your child to be rude or say hurtful things to you or others. Make it clear that disrespectful behavior is unacceptable. Get other caregivers—your co-parent, grandparents, daycare teachers, babysitters—to support the values and behaviors you want to instill in your child. This includes everything from saying thank you and being kind to not whining. Don't Forget to Teach Social Skills Ask your children three "you" questions every day. The art of conversation is a key social skill, yet often overlooked. Get your child talking with questions like, "What was your favorite part of school today?"; "What did you do at the party you attended?"; or "Where would you like to go tomorrow afternoon?" Teach kids a confidence-boosting trick. Instruct them to always notice the color of a person's clothes. Making eye contact helps a shy child seem more confident and makes any child more assertive and less likely to be picked on. In addition, recognize your child's strong emotions. After a meltdown, ask them, "How did that feel?" and "What do you think would make it better?" Then listen to their responses. They'll recover from a tantrum more easily if you give them a chance to express themselves. Raise Grateful Kids Teach your child to be a responsible citizen. Find ways to help others throughout the year. Kids develop a sense of self-worth by volunteering in the community. Avoid raising a spoiled child. Remember: Every child is a treasure, but no child is the center of the universe. Teach them accordingly by discussing what it means to be a good person. Start early: When reading bedtime stories, ask your toddler if the characters are being mean or nice and explore why. Explain why values are important. Simply put: When you're kind, generous, honest, and respectful, you make others feel good, and more importantly, you feel good about yourself. Create a "gratitude circle" at dinner every night. Go around the table and share stories about people who were generous and kind to each of you that day. It may sound corny, but expressing gratitude makes everyone feel good. Don't Stress About Dinner Keep serving a food repeatedly. If your child rejects a new dish, don’t lose hope. You may need to offer it six, eight, or even ten times before they decide if they like it. Again, avoid food battles. A healthy child knows how much to eat by instinct. If they don’t finish their food, let it go—they won’t starve. Share at least one meal as a family each day. Sitting down together is a relaxed way to connect, share happy news, talk about the day, or tell a silly joke. It also helps your kids develop healthy eating habits. Let your kids choose dinner once a week. Allow them to decide what's for dinner and cook it for them. Always Say "I Love You" Love your children equally, but treat each one uniquely. They are individuals. Say "I love you" whenever you feel it, even if it's 743 times a day. You can’t spoil a child with too many affectionate words and kisses. It’s not possible. Remember the wisdom of grandmothers. Children are not yours forever; they are lent to you for a time. In those fleeting years, do your best to help them grow into good people. Savor the moments. Yes, parenthood is exhausting. Yes, your house is messy, the laundry is piled up, and the dog needs walking. But your child just laughed. Enjoy it! Boost Brainpower & Physical Activity Teach your baby to sign language. Even though your child can’t talk, they still have things they want to express. Simple sign language can help you understand your baby's needs and feelings before they can speak, reducing frustration. Ensure you keep the TV in the table room. Research shows that children with a TV in their bedroom tend to weigh more, sleep less, have lower grades, and poorer social skills. (And parents with a TV in their bedroom have less frequent sex!), Recent research indicates that brain development in young children is linked to their activity level. Give your baby time to play throughout the day, let your toddler walk instead of ride in a stroller, and create opportunities for your older child to get plenty of exercise. Keep Up with your Kids' Health Ensure your kids are vaccinated. Outbreaks of diseases like measles still happen both locally and globally. Encourage your child to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to prevent cavities. Be proactive about their safety by babyproofing your home and never leave a child under 5 alone in the bath. Ensure car seats are properly installed and make sure your child wears a helmet when riding a bike or scooter. Follow your pediatrician's advice. If your child's fever is believed to be due to a virus, don’t insist on antibiotics. Rest, fluids, and tender care are often the best remedies. Overusing antibiotics can lead to health issues and contribute to antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Put your baby to bed drowsy but still awake. This helps them learn to self-soothe and can prevent future bedtime issues. Recognize the signs for toilet training. Your child is ready when they recognize the urge to go (rather than just knowing they've already gone) and ask for a diaper change.