Reasonable Expectations from Your Children

Have Reasonable Expectations from Your Children
By: Dr. Noel Swanson..

Every parent has expectations of their children. These expectations are formed unconsciously from our own wants and desires. They are important. Expectations form the foundation for many things in our lives.

The key is to have positive and reasonable expectations for your children. How do you establish a set of positive child discipline expectations? How do you know if your child discipline expectation is even reasonable? These aren't easy questions to answer.

It helps to read books, do some research and educate yourself about what to expect from your child at every stage. These books are written by experts and experienced parents. They will help you get a fair idea of what to expect.

When you decide whether an expectation you have for you child is reasonable, you have to be as objective as possible. Look into what the established child behavior guidelines are for your child's age. If the established guideline is that children don't develop full sentence speech till they are at least a year old, expecting a full sentence out of your six-month old isn't a responsible expectation.

If you know your child is doing his or her best in school, and they are an average student, expecting average grade work is reasonable because they are doing their best and you know it's their best. Child behavior expectations take a bit of common sense. And it is important to establish reasonable expectations of your children.

Remember, unreasonable expectations lead to disappointment. You can save yourself a lot of frustration if you keep your expectations reasonable. Unreasonable expectations can damage the self-esteem of the child irreparably. So, be very conscious of what you expect your child do; he may not be able to measure up to some of your expectations.

Of course, you must set reasonable expectations in child behavior or child discipline in different areas. After that you should formulate a set of goals and hold to them. Let your child know when he meets those expectations by rewarding him. This will help you take him further on the road to success, but at his pace, not yours.

The key to parenting is to remember not to push your desires onto your children. It often happens that parents impose their own unfulfilled dreams on their children and expect them to achieve what they failed to do in their lifetime. Nothing can be worse than this. So, take some time out and look at your expectations and assess how reasonable they are. Reasonable expectations promote growth and positive self image and are an essential parenting skill.

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Dr. Noel Swanson writes frequently for Yes Parenting website and also has a free newsletter with heaps of expert parenting advice.