Do You Align Your Parenting Skills with Your Partner and Caregivers?

Whenever there are conflicts, parents, the extended family, and caregivers must agree to work together for positive resolutions. This can be difficult when different parenting skills and beliefs exist. It is important for parents to agree that they are on the same team. They must examine their beliefs, values, and strategies on how they want to respond to their children’s needs. Additionally, they must share their parenting strategies and expectations with the extended family members and caregivers to ensure that the parenting of their children is as consistent as possible.

Conflict Resolution Strategies

Consider the following suggestions when you cannot agree how to resolve conflicts with your children:

Inconsistent parenting creates chaos and confusion for the family; adults and children. Some parents are very strict, some are very permissive, and others are democratic and adapt natural and logical consequences. Parents may have to compromise when setting expectations for behavior. When parents cannot agree, they may benefit by taking a parenting class or consulting parenting guides either online or in printed texts. Pick your battles carefully and determine which parenting strategies will meet most of your needs.
Screen time; television, video games, and cell phone activities, can create significant conflicts for parents. Ideally, parents can agree to limit screen and television time to no more than one hour per day during the work week as families have limited face time with each other. Weekends can be negotiated depending on the family’s needs and opportunities.
Scheduling quality family time creates challenges because some parents are more responsible for family care. Typically, one or both parents may have work hours that prevent them from being with their children very much during the work week. An absent parent may become disconnected with their children’s needs and be resented by the family because of their absences. The family must manage their time to ensure that quality family time is available each week. Such valuable time may have to be created by securing support from extended family members when needed.

Aligning Parenting Differences

It is critical that parents and caregivers work together to resolve challenges, regardless of their parenting differences. It is never to late to align your parenting styles and become consistent when disciplining and setting expectations for your children.

Happy united parenting!

Joyce