Delightful teens are a product of years of dedicated, thoughtful parenting. It matters not what background you come from, the parenting you have done with your own children should be progressively better. If not, you may be experiencing rebellious, difficult kids.
The fruit is the proof of the tree’s goodness. Are they sweet, inquisitive, and fun? Are they sour, dull and a drag?
Decisions start early:
How to handle a crying baby? Pick baby up, love baby, care for baby or let baby cry itself to sleep?
How to handle an energetic toddler? Direct toddler, involve toddler, play with toddler or restrict toddler or worse, punish toddler?
How to handle the endless questions? Answer them, Explore, Learn or Refuse to answer, verbally or physically snap?
How to handle teenagers? As any parent of teens knows you’re done handling kids and gentle guidance into adulthood should be the order of the day.
By the teen years the good or the bad parenting you’ve done has made its mark. Parents are either saying: Can’t wait until they leave or Gosh, they really challenge me to be a better parent in the most fun ways.
If you’ve got teens and you’re not laughing at the funny things they say, the silly mistakes they make and inspiringly naïve ways they look at the world, don’t reject them, there is still time to do better.
1 comment:
Good one, Kate. Gives me something to think about as my teen and tween's needs shift and change.
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