Helping You Make The Most Of Your Parenting Years

Few people would claim that being a parent is simple, but like anything else there are skills that you can develop to help you become more effective. When everything is going well that's when you can figure that you're making good parenting choices. When things aren't going well, however, it might be time to brush up on some parenting skills.

Unlike in earlier eras, a lot of parents are trying to raise kids alone today. For single parents this is hard enough but even if there are two parents, they shouldn't try to do everything on their own with their kids. Look for help and advice wherever you can find it, which may include your own parents, siblings and friends. Anyone who has raised children themselves can help you out in the areas of parenting that you find the hardest. Older relatives, for example, while not always up to date with every aspect of modern life, often have quite a bit of wisdom and experience when it comes to parenting and other issues.

You've probably been told that the number one quality of a parent is selflessness and that your kids have to come first. It's true that every parent has to make sacrifices but you also have to ensure that your own needs get met. Parents who don't take care of their own needs will just burn out and that will make them less effective parents. Make sure that you always make time for yourself. You also need to make sure that you and your spouse or partner also get some "together" time. Kids are very important, but they shouldn't be the center of your universe every minute of every day. This is detrimental both to you and to them as it keeps them from having to grow their own resourcefulness.

Some parents have the attitude that when they drop their kids off at school, they become the school's responsibility. To some degree this is true, but you should also remain aware and involved at what's going on at school. The same holds true for any other extra-curricular activities your child is involved in, whether this be sports, lessons of any kind or summer camp. When possible, volunteer at your child's school and attend meetings and parent-teacher conferences. You may be busy and can't be there all the time, but you don't want to be a parent who is unfamiliar with your child's world outside the house. Your son or daughter is going to have important experiences both at school and at other places outside of the home and as a parent you should, at bare minimum, have knowledge of them.

Some aspects of parenting are natural to us but there are always going to be some areas where we need to work on our skills. You're not going to be perfect but do what you can to learn from your experiences. Try to remember that just because your parents had a certain style of parenting or because you've behaved a certain way before now that doesn't mean that you can't make adjustments and changes as you need to. All You Must Know About Parenting, Making Parenting Rewarding For You And Your Children