WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN ?

As a seasoned single parent , with a 12 year old daughter, parenting is lifelong. We all remember how it feels to be a new parent. One of the challenges early on, could be something as simple as changing or burping your new baby. As you have found out, you can get advise on some issues and others are learned by just doing over and over. You begin to develop confidence in things you do on a daily basis, as you bond with your new baby.

As babies go through their growth stages, you of course as a parent, adjust and learn how to perform daily tasks such as discipling and teaching them how to walk. You also learn that at different stages in development, children do different things that are normal. Most children under 2 years old will pick up anything they find and try to put it in their mouth! So you must watch them very closely or they may get hurt.

As children get older, let's say from 6 - 8 years old, they are more independent and don't have to be watched as closely. But with every age is a new stage. Every parents knows that between the ages possibly 11 - 18 years old, these are the teen years!  In case, you are not a parent and don't know this, the teen years are known for, loud music, dating and clashing with your teen.

Throughout their childhood, our responsibility is to nurture, teach, protect and encourage your child. As parents, we know alot of the decisions we make, are trial-and-error.  We can only hope that we are making the right decision in what we have chosen to do. The act of balancing what you teach your child and what you also show them as role models, is not easy to balance.

Personally I sometimes questioned some of my decisions in raising my daughter. It is a mix of your own morals and values that shape your decisions. One of the things I have struggled with, was kinda forcing your child to do what you want them to do, just because that is how you were raised. You have to realize first what you are doing. Just because your dad made you eat your vegetables before you eat your meat, you make your child eat their food the same way! Think about that for a minute? It should sound kinda of ridiculous when you really think about it...

It should not be a big surprise to a parent that your kids watch and model what you do throughout their lives. In knowing this, You should adjust your conduct accordingly to show your child the best role model. Unfortunately, not all parents we know or have at least heard about from the horrible child neglect stories on the news daily.

So we have good parents and we have bad parents who are both raising children. There are so many factors involved in determining how a child will turn out as an adult. It is basically a shot-in the-dark and something you can't predict!

People try to say because a child grew up in the slums or poor, they are all criminals. They even go on and go to college and get degrees, though their environment is a major factor. It is not that simple, you have DNA, social and religious factors and even political factors.

So as we go about our daily lives with children in the house, know that you are being monitored. Can you ever remember as you were older and your parents may have told you never to drink. You were o.k. with it, until you see both your parents drink beer all day for years. These are the little things that children notice and it of course look hypocritical!

And of course, that is sending the wrong message to your child and leaves them unsure. Our responsibility is to do the best that we can and that we know how to do. Not just bark random orders to your children and not listen to them. Setting a bad example with the way that you live your life daily, will not endear your child to you!

Yes, it will take possibly making changes in what you say, eat, watch and read! A real parent knows what a great responsibility being a parent takes! Not to mention, the years of hard work on a daily basis...with possibly no help...

We all know as adults how to go to work and just do your job and rnot go out of your way to do more than you need to! Parenting can feel the same way, admit it...we all as parents have felt that way many times-I know I have! I feel that this responsibility to do your best effort to make sure you have done everything you can to raise your child correctly.

Even if you are successful in doing all these things, there is still no guarantee that your child will not be a murderer, or serial killer--You can't predict how a child will grow up be! So at least, know that you have given your child your best! Your child will become a adult with issues for the world to deal with, So what are we really teaching our children...?