KATHMANDU, AUGUST 16

Change is nothing but natural, bygone are those days when corporeal punishment held prominence. Now that time has undergone a 360-degree change along with advancement in information technology and mushroom growth of social media, scientific development has had both positive and negative consequences, which have immense impact on children. Parents should thus be conscious of the use of ICT and social media by their kids.

In this context, positive parenting is the parenting principle that assumes children are born good and with the desire to do the right thing. Positive parenting framework has been around since the 1920s brought to the US by Austrian psychiatrists Alfred Adler and Rudolph Dreikurs. But it took off only in the 1990s when American psychologist Martin Seligman introduced positive psychology.

Positive parenting is focused on developing a strong, deeply committed relationship between the parent and child based on communication and mutual respect. Positive parenting means training children toward self-control. Parents' connection with children has wide ranging consequences for their mental health and create a meaningful relationship with others. Today's parents must engage to build a good relationship with their children by using explanations and offering opportunities instead of shouting, shaming and leveraging rewards and punishments.

The COVID pandemic has upended family life around the world. Home schooling, working from home and all the financial uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 has made it even tougher.

As a parent, one is likely to feel that you have so many roles to fulfil that you cannot possibly perform any of them well.

The pandemic has thrown many of us into the role of a de facto homeschool teacher.

Keep in mind that this is a stressful time for kids as well, and that it is normal for them to act out in ways they normally wouldn't. Going easy with the children can help reduce their stress levels and your own.

COVID has changed their schooling, friendship and normal routine. So, addressing children's fears and reassuring their physical and emotional well-being should be the focus.

Often when children misbehave, it is a reaction to the amount of stress they are under and a way to vent their frustration.

If the children are misbehaving, redirect them to constructive activities, such as playing outside or reading a book. Take the opportunity to distract them with an interesting task or a game and you can curtail bad behavior before it starts. Parents are advised not to miss an opportunity to reward good behaviours.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 17 2021, of The Himalayan Times.