Having a balance between work and home – being able to work in a way which fits around family commitments and isn't restricted to the 9 to 5 – boosts self-esteem as you're not always worrying about neglecting your responsibilities in any area, making you feel more in control of your life.
Look after yourself
Parents often spend all their time looking after everyone else in the family and forget about themselves. If you don’t look after yourself, you can end up feeling miserable and resentful, and you won’t be able to give your children the support they need.
Discipline
Rather than thinking of discipline as a punishment, you should use it as a way of teaching your children how to meet their needs without hurting or offending anyone.
Setting Boundaries
We often use boundaries to protect children from harm or danger. But it is important that you try to explain why boundaries are there, rather than issuing orders – for instance, if you pull them away from an open fire explain why.
Communication
Communication is important – during both the good and the tough times. Children often find it hard to put their feelings into words and just knowing that their parents are listening can be enough.
Quality Time
Try to organise some time together as a family a few times a week – perhaps three meals a week you could sit down to eat as a family.
Joint Decisions
Too many restrictions will be hard to keep on top of, so it is a good idea to work out which boundaries are really important to you, such as the ones for your children’s safety, and which boundaries are not worth fighting about.
Comforting
It is important for a family to be there for each other through the hard times, as well as the good times.
Be flexible
It’s good to have a routine, but it’s not the end of the world if it’s interrupted from time to time for spontaneous fun and games.
Spend quality time with your partner
It can be difficult to find time for you and your partner once you have children, but it is important to make time for each other.