Help Your Children By Understanding The 4 Stages Of Parenting

As education professionals we know that we are, unfortunately, a small part of the success of our students. An overwhelmingly large factor is the influence parents have over their children. The routines, the values and the guidelines a parent instills at home all have a huge impact on the social development of our students. So today is going to be a short breakdown of the four stages of parenting.

As parents, it‘s important to be aware of the four stages of parenting, namely the Commander, the Coach, the Counselor, and the Consultant. Each stage requires a different approach, and being aware of the stage you are in can help you nurture your children better.

In the Commander stage, when children are toddlers, it‘s important to create an environment that is successful and rewarding. A positive environment will help them learn what to do and what not to do, and reinforce the behavior you want to see. When children are in elementary school, the coaching stage begins. This is when you instill values and a mindset in them, and show them their place in the world. It‘s important to reward positive behavior and hold true to what you say. The counseling stage is when teenagers start to explore the world on their own. As a counselor, it‘s important to ask open–ended questions and let them come to their own conclusions without giving them the answers. This helps them build their emotional intelligence and reflect on their feelings. Finally, the consultant stage is when children are grown and have moved out of the house. At this stage, they may ask for advice or help, and it’s your job to be there!