Parenting Your Way: Prioritizing What Works for You and Your Kids

I attended a session recently on "Talking to Genz kids." Some keypoints emphasized were the importance of having structure, less screen time, and keeping them occupied with extra academics or activities. Later at the same day, I attended another session on "Teaching self-care to Teens."

In both the sessions, I found that I could not meet majority of the checklists/pointers that were mentioned. Instead of gaining insight, I found myself- despite being a parent coach who helps parents feel proud of their efforts- succumbed into guilt and judgement over "not doing enough." It took me a while to regain my perspective.

Rather than following a generalized checklist of what I "should" do as a parent, I I created my own checklist to assess how well I am meeting my children's unique needs. I had to remind myself that parenting is a personalized care based on each kid's personality and requirements.

There is nothing wrong in the topics covered in the above mentioned sessions. Some parents may feel the same way I did and worry that their parenting is not up to the mark. I urge parents to identify that they are doing enough, trust their instincts to prioritize what works best for them and their child, and customize the approach to care accordingly.