5 Parenting Habits I’m Changing After Watching ‘10 Things Parents Should Never Do’ – A Home Educator’s Perspective"
- Barbara Bayayi
- May 5, 2025
- 5 min read
Hey sis,
I recently watched a YouTube video called “10 Things Parents Should Never Do,” and wow… I’m still thinking about it. You know when something challenges you, and makes you want to do better all in one go? That was this for me.
As a UK-based home educator navigating the ups and downs of homeschooling, this video came at the perfect time. It was packed with parenting wisdom, practical psychology, and encouragement—not in a judgmental way, but in a "you can do this" kind of way. I’m sharing my biggest takeaways and how I’m applying them, hoping it might encourage other mums and dads in the home education community too.
1. Cooking with Brain Health in Mind
Let’s start with food. Cooking has never been something I particularly enjoy, and honestly, it usually feels like a chore—especially after a full day of homeschooling, chauffering my children to all their activities and managing the house. But the woman on the podcast, Tana, shared something powerful. She was diagnosed with cancer in her twenties and had to completely transform how she viewed food. She knew that if she didn’t make the change for herself, her daughter could end up developing the same poor health habits and illnesses.
That really stayed with me. Last year, I lost a close friend to cancer, and that painful experience made me start paying attention to what we eat at home. I began educating myself more about toxins, sugar, processed ingredients, and how our diet impacts not only physical health but mental wellbeing and brain development—especially in children.
As a homeschooling family in the UK, we already do things a bit differently from mainstream families. So I’ve decided to add one more layer (as if my plate is not already full): cooking with brain health in mind. We don’t need to become gourmet chefs overnight, but simple, clean, nourishing meals? That I can commit to learning and implementing. And I’m involving the children too—it’s part of their life skills learning now which is going to be seamless with our middle born who absolutely loves cooking.
2. Daily One-on-One Time with Each Child
This might be the biggest change I’m making: setting aside 20 minutes per child every day to give them undivided attention. It sounds simple, but in the rush of everyday life—especially as a home educator—it’s easy for this to slip through the cracks.
The podcast explained how therapists and child psychologists use this exact method. It helps children feel seen and heard. When you’re doing something meaningful with them, they naturally start to open up. And when we’re connected emotionally, they’re more likely to adopt our values.
Here’s how I’m structuring it: One hour each day, split into three 20-minute slots—one per child. During their time, each child reads aloud to me from a high-quality book. The next day, I’ll read to them from the same book. We alternate daily. Meanwhile, the one being read to can be working on our current family project—a 1500-piece puzzle we aim to complete each quarter. So when it’s my turn to read, they listen and puzzle quietly, and vice versa.
We also take that time to talk: I ask about their day, their thoughts, what made them laugh or feel sad. I intend for it to become a beautiful rhythm, combining literacy, bonding, and emotional connection.
3. Remembering What I Was Like at Their Age
This was such a humbling reminder. It’s easy to forget that our children’s experiences mirror our own childhoods in many ways. Yes, they have social media and tech we didn’t—but the core challenges? The identity questions, peer pressure, curiosity, insecurity, desire for autonomy? We went through it too.
The podcast challenged parents to remember this so we can coach rather than criticise. We’re not meant to be perfectionists. We’re here to guide them, based on our own humanity and experience. That message hit me deeply.
Remembering what I needed emotionally at that age helps me better understand what my children need from me today—not just educationally, but emotionally and spiritually. Empathy needs to become one of my key teaching tools.
4. Praise Effort, Not Intelligence
We’ve all done it—telling our children how “clever” or “smart” they are when they do something impressive. It seems like positive reinforcement. But the podcast pointed out something important: when children are constantly told they’re smart, they may become afraid of challenges. The minute something gets hard, they assume they’re no longer clever and back off.
Instead, we should praise effort, resilience, and consistency. That way, when they hit a challenge, their instinct is to work harder—not shrink back.
This ties in perfectly with a book they referenced: Why “A” Students Work for “C” Students and “B” Students Work for the Government by Robert Kiyosaki. The takeaway? The average student often develops better habits because they know they have to try. And in the real world, those habits matter more than natural ability.
So now, when I praise my children, it’s for trying again, for finishing what they started, for pushing through frustration—not just for getting the “right” answer. Because I don’t want them performing for approval; I want them to love learning for its own sake.
5. Catch Them Doing It Right
This final point was a gentle but necessary nudge. Sometimes, I get so caught up in correcting, managing, and guiding that I forget to simply notice the good. The podcast urged parents to build their children up with positive reinforcement—not empty praise, but real acknowledgment of when they’re getting it right.
This has been a game-changer in our home education environment. I’ve made it a goal to “catch them doing well” every single day—whether it’s being kind to a sibling, tidying up without being asked, sticking with a tricky maths problem, or helping around the house. Even small moments deserve recognition.
And do you know what? The more I look for good, the more good I see. The tone in our home has shifted. The children are becoming more relaxed, and I’m less reactive.
Final Thoughts
The podcast was just under 45 minutes, but I walked away feeling both convicted and empowered. These were my top five takeaways—and I’m already seeing a difference in my mindset and home atmosphere.
We’re not aiming for perfection, sis. Just connection, growth, and raising children who feel loved, grounded, and inspired.
Whether you're a new home educator, a seasoned homeschooling parent in the UK, or just curious about alternative education, I hope this post resonates with you. Our choices matter—especially the small, daily ones. Together, we can create homes where our children thrive not just academically, but emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
If you’d like to watch the video yourself, please find the link below:
All my best, Afia 💛
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