Parenting is one of the most significant, rewarding and challenging jobs for parents. It could be one of the main factors to determine how one child would grow up to be like. Even though there is no right or wrong when it comes to parenting, positive parenting is one of the approaches across cultures that would help children to develop their social and emotional skills. 

Positive parenting is based on social learning theory and development psychology. The core of this viewpoint is to have a harmonious parent-child relationship and on the well-being of parents, children and the whole family. Its purpose is to achieve that by mutual respect, being fair to each other, praising on behaviors, setting clear boundaries and rules within the family by having firm-but-kind communication. As a result, children are prone to grow up and be healthy, happy and confident with a great relationship with the parents. 

It is beneficial to raise children positively in many ways: 

1. Better focus and self-control. 

When parents provide age-appropriate guidelines and limits for children's behavior, children will know what they can do and what they can’t with reasons from their parents. Parents may need to recognize and be able to regulate their own feelings and behaviors before they respond to their children as well. 

2. Effective communication 

Raising their kids up with effective communication, parents respond to what their child needs and question them if they do not understand. As a result, when children grow up, they tend to communicate well with their parents because they can expect that their voice would be heard and responded to. 

3. Higher self-esteem 

The approach of positive parenting is believed that there are no bad children. There are only good or bad behaviors. Its core is to teach children to learn for the future instead of punishing their actions in the past. 

4. Easier to accept challenges. 

When children are raised by a positive parenting approach, they are recognized and praised from their strengths, abilities and capacity to learn and develop. When children grow up, it is easier for them to go out of their comfort zone, take on challenges and try something new. 

Positive parenting is all about understanding and loving children. At the same time, parents should set rules and apply them with their children accordingly in a fair and friendly manner. There are “3 Fs” of Effective Parenting that parents can discipline their children effectively. 

1. Firm: Parents should be firm with the rules that they set with their children.

2. Fair: The punishment should be on what parents and children agree on. Parents should state the consequences in advance so that the children know what to expect. 

3. Friendly: Parents may use friendly-but-firm communication style when undesired behavior of their children occurs. They may need to let their children know the consequences they will receive and encourage them to remember what they should do or can do better in the future. Moreover, parents are able to praise their kids for desired behaviors and tell them that it is the right way to go. 

In conclusion, positive parenting is a good approach to raise children. It will benefit children’s development and also strengthen the parents-kid relationship that will last for the lifetime.

P. Ratnajarn M.A.