Parenting, though the best thing in the world, was never an easy task. Be it staying up late completely sleep deprived all the time, to being covered in burps and pukes, thus spoiling all your clothes. While there are a lot of commonalities, some stark cultural differences in parenting style and discipline can be observed around the world. It was never considered a child’s play. Being a parent is one of the most difficult yet life altering roles. There are no set rules, no manual for being the perfect parent. All of us learn on the job, the hard way. Here are some parenting tips from different corners of the world which might come in handy.
Cultural Differences In Parenting Style And Discipline:
The French way:
French mothers teach us the art of instant gratification to kids. From the very beginning, French kids are taught to respect boundaries.They are taught to be patient while eating their meals and that junk is a complete no-no at night. The most important thing is that they don’t run to their child’s side the moment the child starts crying. Instead, they patiently listen. This certainly doesn’t imply that the child must be left crying the whole night.
Judge your child’s mood:
It is very important to judge if the child is crying for a valid reason. Whether the child has some genuine problem or is crying just for attention. Sometimes, letting the child be on its on for a while can help him/her lean to self-soothe.
The Danish way:
The Danish way of parenting is the happy way. They believe in the acronym of the word parenting- Play, Authenticity, Re-framing, Empathy, No ultimatums and Togetherness. They value family time and interdependence. Danish parents pay attention to nurturing empathy, instead of focusing on an individual.
The Japanese way:
Japanese parents believe in making their children independent. They do not believe in pampering them so much that they get spoiled. Japanese parents promote independence, so early in the child’s life that they even go to school on their own, unaccompanied. They also do not believe in over doing public display of affection. At a very young age they teach their kids self-discipline and how important it is to maintain harmony.
The Chinese way:
The Chinese believe in letting their child be independent but at the same time are very much involved with their day-to-day activities. They teach them how to respect their elders from the very beginning. They believe in carrying on their traditions and customs and impart the same education to their children.
At times, parents may feel overwhelmed and exhausted. During moments like these, it is absolutely alright to want a little time off from being a parent. It does not make you a bad parent. It only means you are human. The thing to remember here is that the only thing which would define a perfect parent, is that despite all the exhaustion and tiredness, you’ll always be there to support and not molly-coddle your child.
Read more: 5 TRAITS YOU SHOULD GET RID OF ASAP!
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