7 Parenting Skills All Moms Need to Have

Want to be a good parent? Discover the 7 positive parenting skills that are crucial to raising a well-rounded, happy child.

We’ve all questioned our parenting skills in one way or another.

Maybe it was when your toddler was so upset she refused to get up off the floor and finally leave the park, or she wouldn’t eat dinner but threw a fit instead. It feels like all you do is yell at your kids, because that’s the only thing that seems to work.

The worst is when they’ve finally fallen asleep from a long, draining day, and you’re filled with remorse, wishing you could wake them up and apologize. All this, on top of managing your household, getting errands done, and appointments scheduled… no wonder you’re exhausted from it all.

And if you’re like most moms, you’re starting to question your ability to handle everything on your plate. You don’t want to be a “mean mom,” but it sure feels like it sometimes.

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7 parenting skills that are actually helpful

I’ve found that there are seven essential parenting skills that help us get through these challenges. These are the abilities that keep us level-headed, no matter how frustrating the moment can get. Practicing these parenting skills makes for fewer challenges, since we’ll know how to prevent them.

Because real change goes beyond the tips and tricks, but into changing who you are and how you—and not just your child—behave in these situations. Take a look at this list of the seven parenting skills and adapt them for your own:

1. Show empathy

Hands down, one of the best parenting skills you must develop is the ability to show empathy toward your child. When you can show her that you truly understand what she’s feeling, you will connect with her in ways you never imagined.

Why is empathy so powerful? For one thing, she doesn’t feel compelled to “make her point” because she now knows you understand the depth of her frustration (yep, even if it’s over a lost toy).

You’re also modeling for her the importance of showing empathy in the first place. This will help her in future scenarios when she has to be the one who should imagine what it feels like to be in someone else’s shoes.

And perhaps most importantly, empathy encourages you to be more patient and calm.

The simple act of seeing the situation from her point of view makes you less likely to yell or lose your patience. Sure, it may just be a lost toy, but you can absolutely relate to the feeling of having lost something precious yourself.

Free download: Grab your copy of The Power of Empathy! Learn how to prevent power struggles and better connect with your kids, all by understanding their perspective. Get it below—at no cost to you. You’ll also get my newsletters, which parents say they LOVE:

“I am really enjoying your resources. I have struggled with thinking that I am alone in finding parenting to be so difficult, but each email you send or blog article I read feels like I am looking in a mirror.” -Laura Dolman

2. Set boundaries

Come with me for a moment into the home of a typical family. A little boy refuses to go to bed, claiming he’s thirsty and wants a cup of water… and maybe another book… and he can’t sleep without mom nearby.

Meanwhile, mom is doing all she can to prevent a likely tantrum, bowing to his every request. She’s beyond tired, but also doesn’t want to upset him and say she has other things to do than stay in his room until he falls asleep.

Trouble is, this pattern persists night after night. Not only that, he wakes up in the middle of the night and cries anyway when he realizes mom isn’t lying next to him anymore. The result? An exhausted mom jolted in the middle of the night and a little boy unable to sleep through it.

You see, despite what many parents think, kids actually need and want boundaries. Despite that little boy’s pleas and demands, he feels safer and more secure knowing what is and isn’t allowed. He doesn’t want to hold the reins, and would rather rest in the reassurance of your consistency and firm limits.

As I say in my book, 31 Days to Better Parenting:

“Because that tantrum they just had? It scares them to feel that way. And when we back down and don’t hold our ground, then that tantrum seems even scarier than ever. After all, if even their parents can’t stand up against a tantrum, then who will?”

Set clear boundaries, those based on your child’s best interests rather than trying to please him or avoid tantrums. As uncomfortable as it may feel to put your foot down and hold your ground, you’d be doing him a disservice if you did otherwise.

Get more tips about setting boundaries.

3. Separate the behavior

At some point in your life as a parent, you probably yelled at your child in what seemed like a natural reaction. He had done something, you told him to stop, he kept doing it, and no amount of reasonable conversation was getting through to him.

So, you yelled.

Trust me, you are definitely not alone. Not only have we all yelled at our kids, we’ve also taken their behavior so personally. Maybe it was the time he deliberately disobeyed you, complete with a smirk on his face. Or when he flat-out ignored you, as if you hadn’t said anything at all.

We take their words and actions so personally that we feel attacked.

But reacting and personalizing their behavior means we tie so much of ourselves into the situation that we can’t think clearly. Inserting a simple pause right after your child’s defiant behavior can be all that it takes to separate yourself—a bit of space to remain calm.

You also realize that this isn’t about you. That you don’t have to let other people’s behaviors—including your child’s—determine how you feel. You’re almost “above” it, watching as an observer, instead of immersed right into the situation.

In other words, he can refuse to listen all he wants, but you don’t let it get under your skin. You don’t let this define who you are or drive you to reactions. You don’t allow yourself to get sucked into the downward spiral, and instead stay floating above.

4. Look for the positive

The best way to handle power struggles is to avoid them in the first place.

Such is what can happen when we look for the positive, instead of harboring on all the ways our kids aren’t doing what they’re supposed to.

Yes, we need to discipline, but it’s not always easy to convince two kids fighting over the same toy to learn the value of turn-taking. But spot the times when they are taking turns, then you’ve got a golden opportunity to reinforce positive behavior.

You see, it’s much easier to encourage behavior you want to see by praising them as they happen, than correcting your kids when they do the opposite.

Not only that, but looking for the positives changes your mindset. Our brains like to be right, and if we focus on misbehavior, then we’re more likely to spot the times they do to prove ourselves right.

This only sets us up for a horrible cycle: we focus on the negative, we see the negative, and the negative proves we’re right. But if you look for the positive things your child does, then you’re more likely to find and praise those times as well.

5. Communicates respectfully

We’ve all taken that “tone” of voice with our kids, the one that says, “because I said so” (without needing to actually say those infamous words). It’s yet another example of that reaction, as we cling onto whatever authority we still have and try to wield it in front of them.

Unfortunately, this power isn’t sustainable. In fact, it can downright damage the strong relationship every parent wants with her child.

Besides resorting to these last-ditch attempts, what can we do instead? We can communicate in a firm and respectful way. We can ask ourselves whether we’d speak that way to others, including our spouses or coworkers, and get away with it (my guess is no).

Because when you speak with respect, you can almost see your child’s defenses melting away. She feels less attacked, her walls crumbling as she realizes she doesn’t have to brace herself for another fight. And she’s more likely to actually listen than if you had simply bossed her to do something.

All from a simple change in how you speak.

6. Model the behavior

Easier said than done, the saying goes, especially when it comes to actually modeling the behavior we want to see in our kids.

Because what we say is only as effective as what we do. You can tell your child to be kind to her little brother all day long, but if you yell and snap at others, you’ll keep seeing the same behavior in her as well.

This is when parenthood truly changes us, when it demands that we grow—and grow up—alongside our kids. When it isn’t enough to tell them one thing while not doing the same ourselves, even when we know we need to.

Learn how to model the behavior you want to see in your child.

7. Shows unconditional love

The phrase “unconditional love” is a bit ironic because true love is always unconditional. But think about the many times we’ve placed conditions on our kids, like withholding affection or making them feel guilty.

Unconditional love means reassuring your child you love her no matter what, even when she’s throwing a tantrum. You won’t love all her behaviors or choices, but you love her nonetheless.

This also doesn’t mean you’re being permissive. You can, in fact you should, continue to be loving even as you set boundaries and correct her behavior. It’s disciplining with the ultimate goal of helping her—not because you’re tired and frustrated.

And ultimately, unconditional love means she doesn’t have to do anything to deserve or receive your love. It is her birthright, simply for the very act of existing in your life. That’s unconditional love.

Learn more about the importance of accepting your children for who they are.

Conclusion

We can all stand to improve our parenting skills, and that’s exactly what these moments with our kids—however challenging—present us with. Each tantrum, whine, or power struggle not only help our kids grow, but us as well.

It starts with setting boundaries, so that your child can explore within the safe confines of her limits. You also want to separate yourself from the behavior, inserting a pause or slight distance so you don’t take it so personally.

Learn how to look for the positive, allowing you to notice more of them instead of the negative. Communicate with respect and empathy in order to melt her defenses and better connect with her. Model the behavior you want to see, which is far more effective than anything you say.

And finally, show unconditional love, knowing that who she is in her essence goes beyond any behavior or challenges she may present.

These parenting skills, when taken as a lifelong mission to improve and grow, will help you in so many ways. Starting with convincing your toddler to finally stop throwing a fit and leaving the park.

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