The first change you want in your home begins with creating a Safe Haven. Children that come from a calm, loving, peaceful home environment are different. They are happy, self assured, motivated and well adjusted. Children from a loving home are loaded with all the positive adjectives you want to see in your own child. It is the parent’s responsibility to create that kind of atmosphere in the home. It takes dedication, but the results are worth it. Here are the components that should be in every Safe Haven:
* Abundant patience
* Parent is present and willing to listen.
* No yelling
* No criticizing
* No demeaning
* Opinions and ideas are shared freely
* Love is expressed daily
* Child knows he is valued
* Parent is teachable
Are any of those characteristics in your own home? You may even have a few ideas of your own to add to the list. Pick one item on the list to work on. If you try to do more than one, it will be too difficult and you will fail. Yelling is a good one because it is tangible. It is also a change that will make a dramatic difference in your home. In the beginning, set easy, attainable goals for yourself.
For example, “I will not yell for 24 hours.” Then stick to it. With this one change, I think you will be amazed how the atmosphere in your home will change. This should motivate you to continue through the next 24 hours. Stay with this one item until you feel you have it under control, then move on. If you fail, go back and start over. Reward yourself for even the smallest improvement.
It is from these simple changes that occur daily you will find yourself making the greatest improvements in your home.