How to Parent Intentionally

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Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 066.
If you imagine that parenting styles form a spectrum, with reactive parenting on one end and proactive parenting on the other, you can think about where you usually reside.

To intentionally parent means that you spend more time being proactive and learning how to move away from reactive parenting. During this podcast episode, I discuss the differences between proactive and reactive parenting styles. I also share seven principles that Jim and I use in parenting our children.

It’s important to understand your own parenting style. Reactive parents normally wait for their child to act before they react. Proactive parents normally act, and expect their children to react. By it’s very nature, reactive parenting tends to focus more on the negative behaviors of your children and how to discourage them. Whereas proactive parenting focuses on encouraging the positive behaviors of your children.

Proactive parents aren’t perfect. And children of proactive parents aren’t perfect. But you’ll find a lot more joy in your parenting once you are able to become more intentional and focused on the positive behavior you wish to develop in your children, as opposed to being focused on disciplining the negative behavior.

7 Principles of Proactive Parents

Proactive parents want their children’s hearts, not just their outward behavior.
Proactive parents take into account their children’s strengths and weaknesses.
Proactive parents train their children ahead of time how to behave.
Proactive parents set house rules and consequences.
Proactive parents are consistent with consequences.
Proactive parents spend more time encouraging positive behaviors than disciplining negative ones.
Proactive parents ensure they are meeting their children’s needs.

What kind of parent are you?

Thanks for listening! Join me next week as I talk with Kara Durbin about parenting with scripture.