Parenting

It’s easy to be overwhelmed with advice on kids – everybody’s got an opinion, the latest “hot” book to refer you too, and the web is packed full of information. There’s lot’s of little “trade secrets” that your friends will want to share and in some cases, a few who will present you with “the right way” to do it. It comes as no surprise that there are a lot of “right” ways that work and ones that don’t as well. Our children’s pediatrician gave us the best advice we ever heard, “It’s not about how much you know, it’s about how much you really listen.” All the rearing tips and super-parent secrets will amount to nothing if the foundation of our parent-child relationship isn’t healthy. Loving them is required, but just feeling that is not enough. The way we live is what they learn. Children hear words, but they believe behavior.

Parenting on the faulty assumption that children are just “little adults” is a sure-fire recipe for frustration and disappointment – for both you and your kids. Understanding the capacity and developmental challenges faced in the age of your child – and employing effective methods of parenting specifically geared to the age of your child will help both of you feel heard and successful. REMEMBER – children learn more by experience (including experiencing how you react and behave) than they ever do from having knowledge poured into them.