Most parents want to raise smart and healthy children. To achieve this, you must first of all have a strong and healthy relationship with your partner.

The quality of relationships within the family and the level of co-operation and harmony between couples play a major part in establishing and maintaining a functional family.

Parenting changes a couple’s relationship, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. For example, having a child may initially place a huge amount of stress on the relationship, but this can develop a greater sense of commitment which in turn strengthens the relationship. What is important is a couple’s commitment to one another and to the family unit. They have to work together as a team and as co-parents agree on the style of parenting.

What counts as successful parenting?

Parenting is not easy and there is no such thing as a perfect parent. Couples should use every resource at their disposal to learn as much as possible about parenting – and then develop their own child parenting style based upon their own life experience, relationships and skills. Good parenting skills should at least address the following four important dimensions of parenting:

    • Love and support
    • Disciplinary strategies
    • Communication
    • Maturity and control.

 

How can successful parenting be measured?

The aim of good parenting is to provide a loving and stable environment where children can cultivate healthy relationships with family and friends. According to researchers, most parents feel they have done a good job when their children are socially and psychologically well-balanced.

A wide range of external pressures, apart from the parenting process (eg media influences, childcare facilities, social expectations, work commitments and financial constraints) can place huge pressure on maintaining a positive partnership as a couple or co-parents. Couples need to work hard to stay connected; however, because of the benefits of having a supportive relationship and a strong family unit, keeping the relationship strong is more than worth the effort.

 

Sources

Dance, R. What’s your definition of successful parenting? Retrieved from http://theartofsimple.net/successful-parenting/
Nine steps to more effective parenting. Retrieved from: http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/nine-steps.html

 

(Revised by M van Deventer)