11 common parenting mistakes

Even though every parent wishes the best for their children, as human beings, people can make mistakes from time to time.
Parenting can influence children’s growth, development, and behavioral characteristics.
Learning to overcome these 11 common parenting mistakes can help you raise your kids in the best possible way.
- Overestimating or underestimating the problems
- Before trying to solve the problem, understand if it is a problem or an age-appropriate behavior of your child. If it is a confirmed issue, determine how big or small the problem is.
- Not trying
- Many parents endure months or years of frustration living with common problems, such as bedtime battles, frequent night awakenings, temper tantrums, and behavior problems, in older children.
- With hard work and dedication, most problems a parent faces can be worked through and changed or fixed.
- Inconsistent behavior
- Being inconsistent, sometimes very strict, and sometimes not at all caring what your kids are doing, can make them confused about how are they supposed to act or react in certain situations.
- Have unrealistic expectations
- It is quite natural to want your child to aim for big goals and be the best at everything, but setting the bar too high can lead to self-esteem and confidence issues later in life.
- No involvement in the child’s life
- The consequence of giving a child things, such as leniency, lowered expectations, or material possessions, instead of love and care can often produce a spoiled child.
- Rearrange your priorities and be there for your child mentally and physically.
- Not adapting yourself to your child’s need
- The needs and expectations of children are different as they grow up; not keeping up with your child's development can hamper their behavior.
- Not setting rules or establishing very hard rules
- Both ways, either being very obstinate and strict in commandments or being negligent in making appropriate ones can impact your child who can have a hard time learning how to manage themselves.
- Constantly nagging or intervening
- Foster your child’s independence by setting limits that help your child develop a sense of self-control and self-direction.
- Most parents mistakenly equate their child's independence with rebelliousness or disobedience.
- Enforcing hard discipline
- Being disciplined through hitting or slapping makes a child more prone to be aggressive and fight with other children.
- Find out other ways to discipline a child, including time out, which work better and do not involve aggression.
- Not giving respect to your grown-up child
- Children often become harsh with words if they do not get courtesies, politeness, and respect for their opinion.
- The ideal way to get respectful treatment from your child is to treat them respectfully.
- Not giving their children enough quality time
- Parents are always busy with their work, jobs around the house, ferrying children to and from activities, checking their phones, and watching TV.
- Not giving your children enough undivided attention may make them feel neglected and not worthy.
8 principles or commandments of good parenting
Good parenting helps promote intellectual curiosity, motivation, and desire to achieve.
- Listen to them carefully
- Talk to the child
- Inculcate positive thinking
- Make them realize you are always there
- Encourage physical activity
- Take out time for them
- Be a role model for them
- Seek help when needed
19 signs of a troubled child
Troubled youth may exhibit warning signs in several ways including but not limited to:
- Irritability
- Moody
- Extreme anger or short-tempered
- Frustration, persistent sadness, worrying
- Sudden change in behavior
- Withdrawal of activities that were once enjoyable
- Trouble sleeping
- Bedwetting
- Complaints about school
- Crying for no valid reason
- Fearful reactions
- Talking negative
- Clinginess
- Change in eating and sleeping patterns
- Neglecting studies
- Getting sick often
- Failing or lowering grades
- Self-harming tendency
- Habitual tobacco, drug, and alcohol use
How does bad parenting affect a child's development?
Common effects of bad parenting include failure to thrive and poor growth and development both physically and mentally. It may make a child more prone to criminal behaviors and can lead to an array of physical and mental health problems.
Physical problems
- Weak immune system
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- Headaches
- Stomachaches
Mental problems
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Panic attacks
- Always scared or afraid
- Eating disorders
- Impaired concentration
- Poor performance in studies
- Unable to have long-lasting relationships
- New or recurring fears (fear of the dark, being alone, strangers)
- Aggressive or stubborn behavior
- Addictions

SLIDESHOW
Childhood Diseases: Measles, Mumps, & More See SlideshowAmerican SPCC. Effects of Bad Parenting on Your Child. https://americanspcc.org/effects-bad-parenting-child/
Davis JL. 10 Commandments of Good Parenting. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/10-commandments-good-parenting
Top What Are the Biggest Mistakes Parents Make Related Articles
13 Tips for Parenting a Teen With ADHD
Parenting a teenager who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be challenging. Parents can use specific strategies to help their teen cope with school and homework. Special care should be taken to help an ADHD teen drive safely and avoid alcohol and drug use.9 Things a Stepparent Should Never Do
Becoming a stepparent comes with its challenges. Things a stepparent should never do include trying too hard to please, imposing your own rules without an agreement, setting expectations too high and other things.ADHD in Children: Understanding, Discipline and Better Parenting
ADHD is a common disorder seen in children. Parents can learn tips and techniques to teach children life skills, coping mechanisms, and better ways to learn with ADHD.What Are a Father’s Roles and Responsibilities in Parenting?
The role of fathers in modern households has significantly changed. A father's responsibilities in parenting include supporting the family, acting as an authority figure, being trustworthy and fostering their childrens' cognitive development.How Do Adults Deal With Overbearing Parents?
An overbearing parent is someone who wants control over their kid’s life and choices. Adults can deal with overbearing parents by telling them you can't continue with family traditions or rituals, responding with gratitude, declaring off-limits topics, not answering calls and texts and establishing boundaries.How Does Single Parenting Affect a Child?
A single parent brings up a child without the assistance of a partner. The effect of single parenting on a child may be good or bad.New Parents Mistakes
Parenting a child isn't easy. Explore the top 10 mistakes that new parents make. Discover newborn parenting tips for breastfeeding, learn to deal with crying babies, child's fevers, and more.Parenting
Good parenting helps foster empathy, honesty, self-reliance, self-control, kindness, cooperation, and cheerfulness, says Steinberg, a distinguished professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia. It also promotes intellectual curiosity, motivation, and desire to achieve. It helps protect children from developing anxiety, depression, eating disorders, antisocial behavior, and alcohol and drug abuse.Crying & Colic Slideshow
Learn top parenting tricks for calming crying, colicky, and fussy newborns and babies.How Can Parents Deal With Temper Tantrums?
Tantrums are common with toddlers as they try to become independent and control their wants and needs. See these tips on how parents can learn to handle child temper tantrums.What Are 5 Positive Parenting Skills?
Being a parent comes with its share of challenges and woes. The 5 positive parenting skills are to be encouraging, be responsive, set the example, set boundaries, and be interactive.What Are Teenager Problems with Parents?
Teenhood is a complex phase of life in which there are so many physical, emotional, and intellectual changes. The teenager might be coping with a variety of issues at this age. They may have a constant conflict with their parents because they want to assert their independence and be in control of their lives.What Are the Qualities of a Good Parent?
While every child has individual needs, authoritative parenting strategies will benefit almost every child. Parents should express love and affection, set limits, and maintain a cordial relationship with their kids.Why Is Stepparenting Harder Than Parenting?
You may find stepparenting harder than parenting because you expect too much, as many stepparents do. You may believe that love will occur quickly and naturally.