Positive Parenting:Enjoy time with your family

Liza Iliffe Photo/File

On March 6, SKIP Whanganui and many local organisations are working together to host our 10th Children's Day at Springvale Park.

It's a day set aside to encourage families to treasure their children by spending time together doing something fun.

It is also a day to encourage parents, as we know you are doing the most important job there is, it's rewarding, but sometimes it's tough.
When you're a parent, treasuring your tamariki also means making sure your kids have the things they need.

All kids need the basics of life like food, warmth, shelter and clothing. But they also need to feel loved and secure. By giving our children all the things they need, we can help them be safe, strong and thrive.

Here are 10 simple things children need every day: To have their everyday needs met; to feel safe and secure; love and hugs; plenty of praise; smiles; talking; listening; to learn new things; take care of their feelings; rewards and special treats.
Remember to look after yourself so you can be there for your children. It's good to take time out to be you.

If you're a dad, there's so much you can do to make your child feel like a taonga (treasure):

¦Turn over rocks and logs in the garden or in some rough grass, and see what insects you can discover.

¦Teach little ones one of your "tricks" such as a party trick, your secret way of doing something, or a skill of yours that they might not realise you have.

¦Hop on YouTube and find a snippet of your favourite show from when you were a kid. Play it to your kids.

Learn about positive discipline. Knowing some tricks of the trade can make life a whole lot easier. There will be lots of great, free parenting resources at Children's Day.
Listen to what kids say, they fill us with inspiration every day.
We all have a role to play in treasuring our tamariki. No one needs to do the big job of being a parent by themselves. Friends and whanau are the best people to lend a helping hand:

¦Be there. Sometimes a listening ear and some practical help is the best kind of support.

¦Give praise and encouragement to the people doing the most important job there is.
"Honestly, the best thing for me was one time I was so stressed out and my mum said to me, 'You're doing a great job, you're a great mum.'" Kiri - mum and daughter.

¦Share the load. "As parents we all have different needs. My friend down the road is a single mum, so we have her boy over every Wednesday, just to give her some time out. But she helps us out by looking after my girl when we're working." Rochelle - mum and friend.

¦Be a pair of eyes for tamariki. There's a useful saying "five pairs of eyes on under fives". When children are little, it's easier for families to become isolated. They need some extra help from the people around them.

Come along and join us on March 6, 11am-2pm at Springvale Stadium and Park, everything is free including the Splash Centre.

¦For more information and great parenting tips contact Liza and Lynette at skipwanganui@xtra.co.nz or phone/text 027 626 1404.