The critical skills required for effective parenting are the basic things like being able to provide food, shelter, warmth, and love, along with the right doses of discipline and guidance. Sounds so simple BUT why then do we have such problems with our youth?
Why are their so many drug addicts, pregnant teens, and wild and out of control people?
In the early stages of development, we nurture and encourage them with such passion. We talk baby talk, we walk the baby walk, and we teach those games and social skills that we experienced. We start to pass on the knowledge that we have accumulated. We stimulate their minds and bodies and encourage independence.
The conflict starts as the child becomes older and develops his personality and standing. We stand on the sidelines, cheering them on in approval or showing our displeasure. We, as parents need to step up and acknowledge our participation in this problem. Yes, they do have minds of their own, and we all like to have approval, but we must also have a sense of right and wrong. This ‘sense’ comes from social acceptability and who we socialize with – peers, classmates, teachers, and family.
If you don’t approve of the contacts they have made, do something about it instead of hoping they will grow out of it or waiting until somebody else does something. Find the help and support you need to teach them what they need to know. Be a responsible parent. They will follow the examples YOU have created. Naturally, you have to be careful about how you teach your kids, and being afraid of causing them a little pain, can lead to people who don’t know how to handle life and make the right choices.
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