In 1-2-3 Magic, Dr. Phelan talks about the three jobs that parents have:
- Controlling Obnoxious Behavior
- Encouraging Good Behavior
- Strengthening Your Relationship with Your Kids
Parenting job #3 is so important because it's the one that is going to make your job as a parent more fun! Because kids are fun. They're cute, they're energetic, they have funny imaginations, and the stronger your relationship with them is, the more you get to enjoy those aspects of their personalities instead of worrying about their behavior.
Plus, a strong relationship will make parenting jobs #1 and #2 easier for you and your kids. The reverse is true as well - if you're solid at parenting jobs #1 and #2, you will find parenting job #3 to be much easier!
Today we’re diving into parenting job #3 and talking about what that really means, what it looks like at home, and a quick overview of 4 different strategies you can use to build a stronger, more fun relationship with your kids.
Those strategies are:
- Sympathetic listening
- Not overparenting
- One-on-one fun
- Shared problem solving