The Three “F’s” Of Effective Parenting Explained | #parenting

When it comes to parenting, there is never going to be one way that is the best. There are many parenting styles, and families are just doing what they think is best for their family. The reason why there can never be one that is “better” than the other is that every family is different. They have different setups and different cultures, and they are all unique. This is one of the most beautiful things about the world, but it can make it hard for mom to feel confident in what she is doing.


It can make her question her parenting and her motherhood journey, when someone comments on it, or when she sees how other moms parent. Parents should always be working on bettering themselves, both individually and as parents, and this means doing some reflecting and researching to keep up to date on the current parenting trends.

‘Effective Parenting’ is one of those newer parenting trends, and it follows three very simple “F’s” and we are going to look at them closer now.

RELATED: How To Disciple A Child Who Violently Retaliates

What Is ‘Effective Parenting?’

According to SBHNY, effective parenting is all about discipline. No one likes to discipline their child, and it can be one of the most dreaded parts of parenting, but it is essential. Children need discipline in their lives, but mom wants to make sure that it is effective so that she is not doing it for nothing. Effective parenting involves effective discipline, and there are three f’s that make it easy to remember, and they are firm, fair, and friendly.

Firm

Being firm is the first ‘f,’ and it may be the easiest. This involves having very clear consequences laid out for behaviors. They should be logical, and they should be followed through every single time. The house rules will help to guide a child, but being firm will let them know that there is zero tolerance and that there will be consequences for their actions, every time.

Fair

Consequences and discipline should always be fair. According to Schools Compass, when it comes to discipline, the consequences should make logical sense, and they should match with the behavior.

If a child refuses to put the tablet away when they are told to, a fair consequence would be a limit placed on their tablet time, or when they can next use it. If your child makes a big mess, they have to clean it up.


Discipline and punishment don’t have to be harsh, but they have to be logical consequences that a child knows about beforehand.

Friendly

This one can be the hardest for parents to stick to because it is challenging to remain friendly when you are upset with your child. Parents may also think that they shouldn’t remain friendly, because they want their children to know they are upset.

According to Parent Lane, this can be done with a friendly demeanor. Your child can know that you are upset, but the key is that you are talking to them calmly, and you are being gentle. Make sure you take the time to listen to their explanations before you assume that you know what happened.

Sources: SBHNY, Schools Compass, Parent Lane