1. Talk honestly and openly with your children but remember your discussions should be age appropriate.
2. Get your children involved in your community, church and/or sports.
3. Discipline your children as appropriate. Some children respond better to timeouts or stern admonishment. Some children you may have to spank. Learn which approach works best with your child.
4. It takes a village to raise a child. Group parenting with close friends that you respect and trust works well. Others sometime can get through to your children when you cannot. And yes...they will sometime just reinforce what you have been saying all along.
5. Be respectful to your children. It is ok to say please and thank you to them.
6. Remember always that you are their parent and not their friend.
7. There is never a compromise when it come to right or wrong, legal or illegal.
8. What you do and what you say count. Your children are always watching and are little "mini me's".
9. Don't be afraid to set high standard and goals for your children and provide structure.
10. Spend one on one time with your children in their room. Talk with them for 30 minutes to one hour in their rooms. Observe the contents of their room. Ask questions about anything in their rooms that peeks your interest. Openly discuss anything in their room that causes you concern. Remember...while you respect them, you are not their friend and they have no privacy that is not earned in your home. Trust equates to privacy. Distrust equates to no privacy.
Bonus: Both parents are important. Children need their mother and father. Don't be afraid to get a Godmother or Godfather for your children if the other parent is irresponsible. Having both sexes involved in the raring of a child adds dimension and perspective to a child's life. Put aside differences when possible for the sake of your child. Don't be afraid to ask for support from friends.
Click on link for a great book!
Your-Daughters-Bedroom-Insights
