Ten Steps To Becoming A Caring & Understanding Parent
Nurturing Your Child with Love, Patience, and Compassionate Discipline
The true art of parenting should be a healthy, loving balance with consequences for inappropriate behavior. One thing that has deeply concerned me is when I see a parent having a meltdown and taking out their frustration and anger on their child. It hurts my heart when I see parents angrily yelling and causing a scene in public with their children.
Hearing them scream, “You’re in trouble, you’re so bad, now get over here—you’re going to get a spanking,” reflects behavior that feels cruel, senseless, and harsh. In these moments, the child’s eyes are often filled with humiliation as they are disciplined in front of onlookers, likely wishing they could disappear under the weight of strangers’ stares.
Being a loving and patient parent takes effort and time. It begins with ourselves, as parents. We need to cultivate healthy self-love, self-respect, and love for our partners as well. When we learn self-love (which cannot be done overnight), we begin to treat others with more love and compassion. Our children are gifts, and they are here on this earth to learn as well.
Let us learn to teach our sons and daughters through our loving example. In doing so, the ripple effect continues on and on, across the waters of humanity’s evolution.
Here are ten vital examples to hold indelibly in our hearts:
- Please understand that I am growing and changing very quickly. It must be difficult keeping up with me—please try.
- Please listen to me and give me brief, clear answers to my questions. Then I will keep sharing my thoughts and feelings with you.
- Please reward me for telling the truth, so I am not frightened into lying.
- Please tell me when you make mistakes and what you learned from them. Then I can accept that I am okay, even when I make mistakes too.
- Please pay attention to me and spend time with me, so I can believe that I am important and worthy.
- Please do the things you want me to do, so I have a positive role model.
- Please trust and respect me. Even though I am smaller than you, I have feelings and needs just like you.
- Please compliment and appreciate me, so I will want to continue pleasing you.
- Please help me explore my own unique interests, talents, and potential. In order for me to be happy, I need to be me—not you or someone you want me to be.
- Please be an individual and create your own happiness, so you can teach me the same, and I can live a happy, successful, and fulfilling life.
I hope you enjoy and use these vital tools for our future generations, as they carry the ripple effect across the ocean waters of humanity’s evolution.
Please feel free to visit my website and download a free PDF. Scroll down to the bottom of the page titled: “Dear Mom and Dad, I’m Trying the Best That I Can.”
