5 Parenting Practices That Pay Big Dividends When Kids Are Older

I'm so glad I started these practices when my kids were young.

Learn how to talk (and listen) to your kids

Learning to communicate with my young kids in a way that minimized shouting matches and all-out wars made a huge difference in our relationship.

Stick to a routine

Research shows that getting kids into a daily routine can work wonders for their temperament, anxiety, and can even help them get to sleep at night.

Keep an early bedtime

Studies show that early bedtimes benefit kids’ physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Kids are also shown to be less irritable, more able to focus in school, and less likely to be obese later in life.

Starting kids chores when they’re young

By the time kids are in elementary school, helping out around the home will be normal.

Letting feelings be

It’s easy to fall into a trap of thinking we need to “fix” our kids’ emotions. But I eventually learned that simply letting my kids’ feelings be was not only better for them but also for me.

See 5 more parenting practices I'm glad I started when my kids were young.