15 Essential Tips for Raising an Only Child

13. Don’t be their constant distraction.

Children constantly demand time and attention from their parents – it would be great if parents gave them to their child.

It is usually only the children who get the attention of parents because they have no siblings to play with. Remember that everything will always have a limit, like balancing.

For example, you, as a parent, will not need to entertain your child, you also have a job. This is because you need time to do all that homework and your own work to finish. In addition, you will need “me time” for yourself.

Parents may feel guilty about not playing with their children, but it’s also good to have reasonable expectations when entertaining them. You can tell your child that you will play with him for about 20 minutes, and after that he will play for another 20 minutes while you do your work.

In addition, you can attract your child to your peers. It will only be beneficial for them to improve their social skills and not just depend on you to be their playmates.

14. Set realistic expectations

Parents who raise only one child, as a rule, associate all their dreams and hopes with the child. Always know that it is good for a parent to set realistic expectations for their child. Your child is not you, but he himself, who also has his own dreams and hopes.

They need to know that it’s unreasonable to expect your child to become something they don’t want. Every child is special and unique. Only a child cannot realize all the dreams and ambitions of a family of five. There are things they can do and things they can’t do.

Help and support your child so that he knows what activities he excels at. You can encourage him in everything he does, but you cannot set unattainable and unreasonable expectations.

15. Don’t treat your child like an adult in the house.

A child will always be a child until it reaches adulthood. Having an only child, it will not be difficult for parents to treat him as an adult. Many children show maturity, usually around the age of 8 or 9. They already act or do something like adults. However, the child must be treated as one, because he is still a child.

According to RaisingChildren.net, the prefrontal cortex is not fully developed until they reach adulthood. Thus, moms and dads should not expect their children to grow up because their development is not complete. Let them be children, because they can only be once in a lifetime.