You Are A Great Mum If:

As a parent you are a life maker. What you choose to allow and restrict has a great impact on the kind of person you are raising. Is he going to be a kind and thoughtful person or rude and insensitive? Is she going to be a confident and witty woman or whining and needy? You are the one to instill values in them, you shape their attitude, you lay down a blueprint of their future. And it’s a tough job. Here are 7 signs that you are doing a tremendous job:

1. You limit your kid’s screen time:

Kids and adults alike are charmed by the allure of the screen. But studies show  that the unproductive hours spent in front of a screen (it may be TV, computer, mobile or tablet) in unprofound pleasure does more harm to our kid’s mental, emotional and physical well -being than we would like to acknowledge.

But if you have been consistently limiting your kids screen time and making sure that the content they consume is safe and rich in quality, then give yourselves a pat on the back. You are doing a good job! Encourage them to read, write, and play instead. I find it best to stick to the 80/20 rule, i.e. 80% of  their time is spent on non-screen related activities and only 20% on screen.

2. You talk to your kids one-on-one

Lives are hectic. Our to-do lists far exceed our liking. But amidst the pandemonium it is important to take the time and talk to our kids every day, to make eye contact and to connect with them. Their problems may seem trivial to us and our problems insurmountable for them. But no matter how tricky the problem may be, a heartfelt talk and a cuddle have always worked for my family.

If you too connect with your child at the end of each day and get to know what is going on in their life, and how they are feeling then you are on course to raising a happy, contented child.

3. You laugh and play together

Guess what? If you laugh and play together with your kids, you are not just bonding and creating happy memories with your kids, you are also building their resilience, self-esteem and critical thinking skills for life.

Kids learn more about thinking, feeling and expressing from us in such a relaxed atmosphere than in formal educational environment. Besides, a good sense of humour in children ensures a leap in their cognitive development as well as boosts their creativity and imagination. They learn to look at things from different angles, to look for the funny in the monotony. So go ahead, indulge your kids’ funny bone. Treasure these moments of innocence and carefree fun with them.

4. You read to them

I cannot emphasise enough about the importance of reading to kids. For starters, they love to listen to the sound of your voice. Yes, it’s true! It also helps build their vocabulary. And a good vocabulary and success in school often go hand-in-hand.

What’s more, it gives them an opportunity to experience things they wouldn’t otherwise experience in our busy urban lives. Alice sliding down the rabbit hole and meeting The Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the others and leading the war to defeat the cruel Red Queen and end her reign of terror can only be savoured in a book. Or Lucy hiding in the wardrobe and reaching the mythical land of Narnia won’t happen in our day and age.

A child who has been read to from a young age will look forward to learning to read herself. So if you regularly read to your kids and enter the magical world of books with them, you are a great mum!

5. You give them a hug or a loving touch at the drop of a hat

Kids need a minimum of 9 loving touches in a day. They are our primary language of compassion. It may be as simple as putting a strand of her hair behind her ear or it may be a tight bear hug. A loving touch fosters safety, trust and a sense of well being in children. It boosts their immunity and encourages co-operation. So if you have created family traditions of hugging good morning, good bye and good night and giving high fives or a pat on her back for a job well done, or cuddle while watching TV, you are a great mum. Remember, “You cannot wrap love in a box. That’s why God made hugs!”

6. You set boundaries

Each of us loves to indulge our kids from time to time. As fun as it is, it is equally important to set boundaries for our children. A balance of freedom and boundaries ensures that kids grow and develop to their full potential. Parenting is like pottery, the final results depend on how we mould and shape the clay all along. So if you are a mum who says “No TV at bedtime!” and holds her ground, not giving in to the tantrums and wheedling, you are a great mom!

7. You teach them gratitude

Most kids today have their own bedrooms, easy access to a screen, an abundance of toys and books and many more luxuries that they take for granted. But as parents it is our biggest responsibility to instill a sense of gratitude in our children if we want them to be responsible, happy individuals when they grow up. Studies show that gratitude in children not only leads to significantly more satisfied lives, it also fosters greater levels of self-esteem, hope, empathy and optimism. Kids who practice grateful thinking look forward to coming to school, visiting the library or even a friend’s birthday party. If you are a mum who takes the time and makes the diligent effort to instill gratitude in your kids, take a bow, because we think you are a great mum!

Parenting is a little bit like attending a Zen state of mind. You have to have an over abundance of love, understanding and patience and complete absence of ego and anger. If all your parenting decisions come from a place of positivity and love, you are a great mum raising happy, responsible and level-headed kids. Three cheers to your parenting style, Hip, Hip Hurray, Hip Hip Hurray, Hip Hip Hurray!

Also read: What Is It Like To Love A Child?

Explore the entire collection of articles: Real Mommy Stories

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