Prather Pediatric and Allergy Center - Ask Doctor Brent

Printer Friendly Version

Title: How To Bring Out the Best In Our Children

Category: Positive Parenting

 

    We can bring out the best in our children by modeling good behavior in our own lives.  We should build our children's self-image from the moment of conception by loving them and nurturing their precious life through praise.  Parental involvement throughout their young life will motivate them to "be their best" for their parents.  If we set a good example through our own lifestyle of honesty, integrity, humility and concern for those around us, our children will usually follow our example. 

     By developing a good character themselves, our children will be able to rise above society's pressures and emphasis on beauty and brains.  They'll be more likely to find and       develop their unique talents and interests.  This hopefully will give them a lifetime of satisfaction and possibly one or more careers.

     Our children will be motivated for good or bad by teachers, friends and the media.  To insure they'll want to choose the best from these other teachers in life, parents must be primary and lifelong teachers to their children.  If we don't accept that challenge, our children surely will find someone or something to follow and it may not lead them to a good or better life.  Many runaways and drug-addicted youths confess they didn't feel love, involvement or discipline at home.  We must practice both kinds of love as parents: "tough love" (disciplining and building character and teaching limits): and "soft love": (nurturing our children with praise and affection from infancy to adulthood).