7 things you should avoid doing in front of your kids

There are habits in life that we do not want to expose our kids to.

Smoking and drinking are but probably the obvious examples. Here's a list of other things that you should not be doing in front of your kids.

#1 Lie

You may be tempted to tell little white lies when the opportunity presents itself. We adults do it all the time anyway, "Oh the MRT was jam-packed and I had to board the third one, that's why I was late".

Kids do not fully grasp the grey line we tread when we lie. To us, we know when it is acceptable to lie, and when we must confess to our mistakes. A child is still learning about rights and wrongs, and lying in front of him may lead him to think that lying is an acceptable behaviour.

#2 Fight with your partner

Domestic squabbles happen. As much as we wish for domestic bliss, we all know that such a thing is rarely possible.

If this has to happen, avoid doing it in front of your child. A UNICEF report show that signs of aggression such as domestic violence will lead to a child growing up with similar problems in the future.

#3 Make fun or tease your child in front of others

Teasing your child and laughing at his innocent reaction may be hilarious now, but it can lead to negative behaviour forming later on.

Besides the extreme causes of leaving a traumatic experience in their memory, laughing at your child lowers his self esteem. This can cause him to become shy in front of others and display a lack of confidence in public.

#4 Lose your temper

It does not matter what the reason is. Each time you flare up and rage, they will become increasing timid around you and less likely to approach you.

Keep calm around your child, they need your tender-loving care, not your anger.

#5 Eat junk food

Junk food is not healthy for anyone. They mostly consist of deep-fried food and salty meats. While they provide a convenient alternative to home-cooked meals, they are lacking in the nutritional component.

Munching away on junk food in front of your child is an implicit understanding that it is alright to eat those meals. Left unchecked, your child may just decide to have pizza for every day of the week, because come on... who doesn't love pizza?

#6 Swear

Sometimes, you struggle to find the right words to express your emotions, and particular swear words will leap into mind. We get it.

But try not to use those words in front of your (still) innocent little kid. Children imitate behaviour, expressions and words in order to learn about them. Should you be sprouting f-bombs everywhere, that will be reflected in your child's behaviour too.

#7 Stare at your smartphone all the time

A smartphone is a great distraction. The numerous apps provide a range of activities that you can escape to if the situation around you gets awkward or boring.

That is not a positive behaviour to inculcate in your child though. They will grow up with the understanding that spending heaps of time on their iPhones is perfectly normal and acceptable.

What do you dislike seeing others do in front of your kids? Tell us below.