How to Be a Good Parent

Three Parts:Loving Your ChildBeing a Good DisciplinarianHelping Your Child Build Character
Being a parent can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of your life, but that doesn't mean it's easy. No matter what
age your child or children are, your work is never done. To be a good parent, you need to know how to make your children feel valued
and loved, while teaching them the difference between right and wrong. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to create a
nurturing environment where your children feel like they can thrive and develop into confident, independent, and caring adults. If you
want to know how to be a good parent, see Step 1 to be on your way.
Loving Your Child
Give your child love and affection. Sometimes the best thing you can give your child is love and affection. A warm touch or a caring hug
can let your child know how much you really care about him or her. Don't ever overlook how important a physical connection is when it
comes to your child. Here are some ways to show love and affection:
A gentle cuddle, a little encouragement, appreciation, approval or even a smile can go a long way to boost the confidence and well-being
of your children.
Tell them you love them every day, no matter how angry at them you may be.
Give lots of hugs and some kisses. Make your children comfortable with love and affection from birth.
Love them unconditionally; don't force them to be who you think they should be in order to earn your love. Let them know that you will
always love them no matter what.
2Praise your children. Praising your children is an important part of being a good parent. You want your kids to feel proud of their
accomplishments and good about themselves. If you don't give them the confidence they need to be out in the world on their own, then
they won't feel empowered to be independent or adventurous. When they do something good, let them know that you've noticed and
that you're very proud of them.
Make a habit of praising your children at least three times as much as you give them negative feedback. Though it's important to tell your
children when they're doing something wrong, it's also important to help them build a positive sense of self.
If they are too young to fully understand, praise them with treats, applause, and lots of love. Encouraging them for doing everything from
using the potty to getting good grades can help them lead a happy and successful life.
3Avoid comparing your children to others, especially siblings. Each child is individual and unique. Celebrate their differences and instill in
each child the desire to pursue their interests and dreams. Failure to do so may give your child an inferiority complex, an idea that they
can never be good enough in your eyes. If you want to help them improve their behavior, talk about meeting their goals on their own
terms, instead of telling them to act like their sister or neighbor. This will help them develop a sense of self instead of having an inferiority
complex.
Comparing one child to another can also make one child develop a rivalry with his or her sibling. You want to nurture a loving relationship
between your children, not a competitive one.
Avoid favoritism. Surveys have shown that most parents have favorites, but most children believe that they are the favorite. If your
children are quarreling, don't choose sides, but be fair and neutral.
4 Listen to your children. It's important that your communication with your children goes both ways. You shouldn't just be there to
enforce rules, but to listen to your children when they are having a problem. You have to be able to express interest in your children and
involve yourself in their life. You should create an atmosphere in which your children can come to you with a problem, however large or
small.
You can even set aside a time to talk to your children every day. This can be before bedtime, at breakfast, or during a walk after school.
Treat this time as sacred and avoid checking your phone or getting distracted.
If your child says he has to tell you something, make sure you take this seriously and drop everything you're doing, or set up a time to talk
when you can really listen.
5 Make time for your children. Be careful not to stifle or smother them, however. There's a big difference between protecting someone
and imprisoning them within your too unyielding demands. You want them to feel like your time together is sacred and special without
making them feel like they are forced to spend time with you.
Spend time with each child individually. Try to divide your time equally if you have more than one child.
Listen and respect your child and respect what they want to do with their life.
Set aside a day to go to a park, theme parks, museum or library depending on their interests.
Attend school functions. Do homework with them. Visit their teacher at open house to get a sense of how they are doing in school.
6 Be there for the milestones. You may have a hectic work schedule, but you should do everything you can to be there for the important
moments in your children's lives, from their ballet recitals to their high school graduation. Remember that children grow fast and that
they'll be on their own before you know it. Your boss may or may not remember that you missed that meeting, but your child wi ll most
certainly remember that you didn't attend the play they were in. Though you don't have to drop everything for your children, you should
at least try to be there for the milestones.
If you were too busy to be there for your child's first day of school or another important milestone, you are liable to regret it for the rest
of your life. And you don't want your child to think of his high school graduation as the time when his mom or dad couldn't show up.
Part 2 of 3: Being a Good Disciplinarian
1 Enforce reasonable rules. Enforce rules that apply to every person leading a happyand productive life not model rules of your ideal
person. It's important to set rules and guidelines that help your child develop and grow without being so strict that your child feels like he
can't take a step without doing something wrong. Ideally, your child should love you more than he fears your rules.
Communicate your rules clearly. Children should be very familiar with the consequences of their actions. If you give them a punishment,
be sure they understand the reason and the fault; if you cannot articulate the reason and how they are at fault the punishment will not
have the discouraging effects you desire.
Make sure that you not only set reasonable rules, but that you enforce them reasonably. Avoid overly harsh forms of punishment,
ridiculously stringent punishments for minor infractions, or anything that involves physically hurting your child.
Part 2 of 3: Being a Good Disciplinarian
1 Enforce reasonable rules. Enforce rules that apply to every person leading a happyand productive life not model rules of your ideal
person. It's important to set rules and guidelines that help your child develop and grow without being so strict that your child feels like he
can't take a step without doing something wrong. Ideally, your child should love you more than he fears your rules.
Communicate your rules clearly. Children should be very familiar with the consequences of their actions. If you give them a punishment,
be sure they understand the reason and the fault; if you cannot articulate the reason and how they are at fault the punishment will not
have the discouraging effects you desire.
Make sure that you not only set reasonable rules, but that you enforce them reasonably. Avoid overly harsh forms of punishment,
ridiculously stringent punishments for minor infractions, or anything that involves physically hurting your child.
2Control your temper as much as you can. It's important to try to be as calm and reasonable as you can when you explain your rules or
carry them out. You want your children to take you seriously, not fear you or think of you as unstable. Obviously, this can be quite a
challenge, especially when your children are acting out or just driving you up the wall, but if you feel yourself getting ready to raise your
voice, take a break and excuse yourself before you finish talking to your children.
We all lose our tempers and feel out of control, sometimes. If you do or say something you regret, you should apologize to your children,
letting them know that you've made a mistake. If you act like the behavior is normal, then they will try to mimic it.
3 Be consistent. It's important to enforce the same rules all the time, and to resist your child's attempts to manipulate you into making
exceptions. If you let your child do something he or she is not supposed to do just because he or she is throwing a tantrum, then this
shows that your rules are breakable. If you find yourself saying, "Okay, but only just this once..." more than once, then you have to work
on maintaining more consistent rules for your children.
If your child feels like your rules are breakable, he'll have no incentive to stick to them.
4 Be a united front with your spouse. If you have a spouse, then it's important that your children think of you as a united front as two
people who will both say "yes" or "no" to the same things. If your kids think that their mother will always say yes and their father will say
no, then they'll think that one parent is "better" or more easily manipulatable than the other. They should see you and your spouse as a
unit so there's order in your high school, and so you don't find yourself in a difficult situation because you and your spouse don't agree on
certain things when it comes to raising the kids.
This doesn't mean that you and your house have to agree 100% about everything having to do with the kids. But it does mean that you
should work together to solve problems that involve the children, instead of being pitted against each other.
You shouldn't argue with your spouse in front of the children. If they are sleeping, argue quietly. Children may feel insecure and fearful
when they hear parents bickering. In addition, children will learn to argue with each other the same way they hear their parents argue
with each other. Show them that when people disagree, they can discuss their differences peacefully.
5 Provide order for your children. Your kids should feel like there's a sense of order and a logic to things in their household and in their
family life. This can help them feel safe and at peace and to live a happy life both in and outside of their home. Here are some ways that
you can provide order for your children:
Set boundaries such as bedtimes and curfews, so they learn that they have limitations. By doing so, they actually get a sense of being
loved and cared about by their parents. They might rebel at those boundaries, but inwardly enjoy knowing that concerned parents guide
and love them.
Encourage responsibility by giving them jobs or "chores" to do and as a reward for those jobs give them some kind of privilege (money,
extended curfew, extra play time, etc.). As "punishment" for not doing these jobs, they have the corresponding privilege revoked. Even
the youngest of children can learn this concept of reward or consequence. As your child grows, give them more responsibilities and more
rewards or consequences for completing those responsibilities or ignoring them.
Teach them what is right and wrong. If you are religious, take them to the religious institute that you follow. If you are an atheist or an
agnostic, teach them your moral stance on things. In either case, don't be hypocritical or be prepared for your child to point out that you
are not "practicing what you preach".
6 Criticize your child's behavior, not your child. It's important to criticize your children's actions, instead of your actual child. You want
your child to learn that he or she can accomplish whatever he or she wants through his or her behavior, instead of being stuck being one
kind of person. Let him or her feel like he has the agency to improve his behavior.
When your child acts out in a harmful and spiteful manner, tell him or her that suchbehavior is unacceptable and suggest alternatives.
Avoid statements such as: "You're bad." Instead, say something like, "It was very wrong to be mean to your little sister." Explain why the
behavior was bad.
Be assertive yet kind when pointing out what they have done wrong. Be stern and serious, but not cross or mean, when you tell them
what you expect.
Avoid public humiliation. If they misbehave in public, take them aside, and scold them privately.
Part 3 of 3: Helping Your Child Build Character
1 Teach your children to be independent. Teach your children that it is okay for them to be different, and they do not have to follow the
crowd. Teach them right from wrong when they are young, and they will (more often than not) be able to make their own decisions,
instead of listening to or following others. Remember that your child is not an extension of yourself. Your child is an individual under your
care, not a chance for you to relive your life through them.
When your children get old enough to make decisions for themselves, you should encourage them to choose which extra-curricular
activities they want to do or what friends they want to play with. Unless you think an activity is very dangerous, or a playmate is a very
bad influence, you should let your children figure things out for themselves.
A child may have an opposite disposition, ie: introverted when you are extroverted, for instance, and will not be able to fit into the
pattern and style that you choose, and will make his or her own decisions instead.
They need to learn that their own actions have consequences (good and bad). By doing so, it helps them to become good decision makers
and problem solvers so that they are prepared for independence and adulthood.
Don't routinely do things for your children that they can learn to do for themselves. While getting them a glass of water before bed is a
nice way to make them get to sleep faster, don't do it so often that they come to expect it.
2 Be a good role model. If you want your child to be well-behaved, then you should model the behavior and character you hope your
children will adopt and continue to live by the rules that you set. Show them by example in addition to verbal explanations. Children have
a tendency to become what they see and hear unless they make a conscious and concerted effort to break the mold. You don't have to
be a perfect person, but you should strive to do as you want your children to do, so you don't look hypocritical if you tell your children to
be polite to others when they find you getting in a heated argument in the supermarket.
It's perfectly okay to make mistakes, but you should apologize or let your child know that the behavior is not good. You can say
something like, "Mommy didn't mean to yell at you. She was just very upset." This is better than ignoring that you made a mistake,
because that will show the child that he or she should model this behavior.
Want to teach kids about charity? Get involved and take your kids with you to a soup kitchen or homeless shelter and help serve up
meals. Explain to them why you do acts of charity so they understand why they should.
Teach kids about chores by setting a schedule and having them help you out. Don't tell your child to do something, but ask for their help.
The earlier they learn to help you, the longer they will be willing to.
If you want your son or daughter to learn to share, set a good example and share your things with them.
3 Respect your child's privacy. Respect their privacy as you would want them to respect yours; for example, if you teach your child that
your room is out of boundaries to them, respect the same with their room. Allow them to feel that once they enter their room they can
know that no one will look through their drawers, or read their diary. This will teach them to honor their own space and to respect the
privacy of others.
If your child catches you snooping through his or her things, then it may take him a long time to be able to truly trust you again.
4 Encourage your children to have a healthy lifestyle. It's important to make sure that your children eat healthy food as much as they can,
that they get plenty of exercise, and that they get enough rest every night. You should encourage positive and healthy behavior without
harping on it too much or making it seem like you're forcing your children to eat or act a certain way. Let them come to these conclusions
on their own while helping them see the meaning and importance of a healthy life.
One way to encourage them to exercise is to get them to play a sport early on in life, so they find a passion that is also healthy.
If you start over-explaining to the child that something is unhealthy or that they shouldn't get it, they may take it the wrong way and feel
like you are insulting them. Once this happens, they will no longer want to go out to eat with you, and they will feel bad eating around
you, which could make them want to sneak and hide junk food from you.
When trying to enforce healthy eating habits, start it at a younger age. Giving rewards of candy to children may create a bad habit,
because once they get older, some may feel they should reward themselves which can lead to obesity. While they are young, start them
out with healthier snacks. Instead of chips, try goldfish (crackers), grapes, etc.
The eating habits they learn as they are younger are the ones they continue to have. Also, never make your child finish their plate, if they
say they are not hungry. This can continue throughout their lives, causing them to finish no matter what portions are on their plate.
5 Emphasize moderation and responsibility when it comes to alcohol consumption. You can start talking about this even when children
are young. Explain that they will have to wait until they are old enough to enjoy a drink with friends, and talk about the importance of
designated drivers. Failure to discuss these issues early sometimes contributes to sneaking and dangerous experimentation, if they don't
understand.
6 Allow your kids to experience life for themselves. Don't make decisions for them all the time; they must learn how to live with the
consequences from the choices they make. After all, they will have to learn to think for themselves sometime. It's best they start when
you are there to help minimize the negative consequences and accentuate the positive ones.
They need to learn that their own actions have consequences (good and bad). By doing so, it helps them to become good decision makers
and problem solvers so that they are prepared for independence and adulthood.
7 Let your children make their own mistakes. Life is a great teacher. Don't be too quick to rescue your child from the results of their own
actions if the consequences are not overly severe. For example, cutting themselves (in a minor way) may hurt, but it's better than leaving
them unaware of why sharp objects should be avoided. Know that you can't protect your children forever, and they're better off learning
life's lessons sooner than later. Though it can be hard to stand back and watch your child make a mistake, this will benefit both you and
your child in the long run.
You shouldn't say "I told you so" when your child learns a life lesson on his own. Instead, let your child draw his own conclusions about
what happened.
8 Give up your vices. Gambling, alcohol and drugs can jeopardize your child's financial security. Smoking, for example, almost always
introduces health hazards to your child's environment. Second-hand smoke has been linked to several respiratory ailments in children. It
could also contribute to the early death of a parent. Alcohol and drugs might also introduce health hazards or violence to your child's
environment.
Of course, if you enjoy having some wine or a few beers now and again, that's perfectly fine, as long as you model healthy consumption
of alcohol and responsible behavior while you do it.
9 Don't place unreasonable expectations on your child. There's a difference between wanting your child to be a responsible, mature
individual and forcing your child to be perfect or to live up to your idea of what perfect should be. You shouldn't push your child to get
perfect grades or to be the best player on his soccer team; instead, encourage good study habits and good sportsmanship, and let your
child put in the effort that he is capable of.
If you act like you only expect the best, your child will feel like he or she may never measure up, and may even rebel in the process.
You don't want to be the person that your child is afraid of because he feels like he will never measure up. You want to be a cheerleader
for your child, not a drill sergeant.
10 Know that a parent's work is never done. Though you may think you have already molded and raised your child into the person he or
she will become by the time your child dons his or her graduation cap, this is far from true. Your parenting will have a life-long effect on
your child and you should always give your child the love and affection he needs, even if you're hundreds of miles away. While you won't
always be a constant daily presence in your child's life, you should always let your children know that you care about them and that you'll
be there for them, no matter what.
Your children will still turn to you for advice, and will still be affected by what you say no matter what age they are. As the years go on,
you can not only improve your parenting techniques, but you can start to think about how to be a good grandparent!
Tips
Reflect on your own childhood frequently. Identify mistakes your parents made, and make an effort to avoid passing them on to the next
several generations. Every generation of parents/children gets to make a whole set of new successes and/or mistakes.
Listen to what your child has to say.
Don't live your life through them. Let them make their own choices and live their life how they want to.
A teen who is on the brink of adulthood needs the support of a parent more than ever. Do not think that just because they are almost 18
or 21 years old that you can leave them to figure it all out on their own. Do not intervene/interfere unnecessarily, however. You have to
walk a fine line.
Improve your child's social skills.
Don't belittle their choice in friends. Furthermore, try to maintain your own friendships.
If you're trying to quit a habit yourself, look into groups that can help you overcome it. Always get support, and have someone you can
talk to when you begin to get a craving for your habit. Remember that you're not only helping yourself, but you're helping your child as
well.
Address your needs to be loved, but value your children's needs over others. Do not abandon your children for your love interests. Make
your child a priority when you are dating, and do not put your child in danger by introducing someone new into the household that you
do not know well. Children need to feel safe, secure and loved. If you are suddenly leaving them out and not addressing their needs in
order to tend to a new boyfriend or girlfriend, your children will grow to feel insecure and abandoned. Love is needed by everyone, but
not at the expense of your child's emotional health. This also applies to older children.
Encourage introspection by sharing with your children your own self-evaluations.
Do not share your own past misbehavior with your children because they will compare themselves to you and thus, expect less from
themselves. "So! You were like that too".
A good parent prays for his/her children. One of he greatest privileges I have as a parent is to pray for my children. It occurred
to me a few years ago, if Im not praying for my children, then who is? I pray for my children in both the big and little things
of life. I pray for their protection against the evil one. Most of all, I pray that they might come to love God and treasure him
above all else.
A good parent is gracious. Her children see the way their mom treats people. They see her graciousness in the way she talks
with the person at H.E.B. or Walmart. They witness graciousness in the way mom or dad relates to their friends. These
children see graciousness in the way their parents relate to one another. No smart aleck talk between mom and dad. No put
downs. These parents exude grace.
Good parents understand that kids first learn about the grace of God not in theological explanations but in lives of their mom
and dad.
A good parent builds an atmosphere of encouragement. Youve seen them. Moms and dads who love their children and yet, for
whatever reason, constantly discourage and frustrate them. This may be the dad who regularly second guesses his son or
daughter. He communicates doubt instead of confidence. Consequently, his son or daughter grows up to be hesitant, afraid to
step out and risk, and unsure of himself. A good parent communicates that she believes in her children. Regardless of their
age, children need parents who are encouragers.
A good parent creates an atmosphere of joy and laughter at home. I know a father who looks like he is miserable much of the
time. I suspect there is little laughter in his home. How sad! Our children live in a tough world. At school they may feel
tremendous social pressure, hear many put downs, and yet have to deal with the pressure of grades, the future, etc. Home
should be a place where we look forward to being at the end of the day. A good parents works to create a home that is a place
of warmth, acceptance, and laughter.
A good parent realizes that one of the best gifts that he can offer his children is himself. Too many parents try to buy their way to
their childrens hearts. Ive been around many teens during the last eight years. I have not known any who I thought were
deprived by having to drive an older model car, etc. However, I have known a number of teens whose parents were too busy
for them and unavailable emotionally. I have known several who received no moral or spiritual direction from their parents,
whatsoever. Consequently, these kids felt as if their parents really did not know what was going on in their lives not to mention
their hearts. My children need a parents who is fully engaged in their lives.
When my children were small, I would generally run every morning. I remember them asking me a few times, Why do you
run, Daddy? My general answer was, so I can be your Daddy longer. That is true on many levels. I bless my children
when I take care of myself. When I spend time in daily prayer, reading Scripture, and perhaps reading a book that feeds me, I
bless my children. I want to give them a dad (or mom) that takes care of himself.
Raising a child can be very difficult. Children learn how to be adults from none other than adults themselves. Parents need to
be willing to teach their children. In my opinion, there are key things that a parent needs to do to be a "good" parent.

Parents need to be good listeners. They are sometimes too quick to judge their children's actions and words that they do not
hear them cry for love, attention or help. Parents need to listen to their child's feelings and reactions to things. Also, they need
to let them have their own opinions and voice them too. They should look at their child and show them that they are listening to
them. Understanding their point of view and where they are coming from also will help one to be a good parent.

If parents want their child to do what is right, I think that they need to set an example by also doing what is right. Children
should be taught how to be responsible, caring, hardworking and patient from watching and learning these traits from their
parents.
Making time and traditions for your family is another part of being a good parent. True, many parents do have to work a lot to
provide their family with the things they need. Spoiling children does not mean parents don't need to show love and spend
quality time with their kids. Parents should invest time, not money into their children. Children shouldn't have to ask if they are
important to their parents to know. They should just know. The time a parent puts into their family and the traditions they have
will always be there.
Parents should respect their child's interests and get involved in their life. They should participate in activities that they all can
enjoy. Parents should try out new things that their child likes.
Unconditional Love is the key to being a good parent. Parents need to love their children no matter what. If a child doubts a
parent's love for them, the parent is not being a good one. Even when a child is disappointing,...
Parenting is an incredibly demanding job and you may have some days where you wonder if you have what it takes to be an effective
parent. The job is easier if you have cultivated the right characteristics before your first child arrives on the scene. If you find you lack a
few of these characteristics, you can acquire them in the process of rearing your child.
Active Participant
Parents need to be active participants in the life of their child. Your child learns by watching you, so be aware of what you project.
Embrace your parenting job with enthusiasm, compassion, a sense of humor and a clear memory of what its like to be a child. Take the
time to know your childs personality and parent your child based on her strengths and weaknesses, according to family relationship
expert, Dr. Gary Smalley. If your child is loyal, consistent and compliant because she wants your approval, a disapproving look or a soft
word could rectify a misstep. A strong-willed, take-charge and independent child, however, requires more discipline.
Nurturer
Whether you are male or female, you can nurture your child. You can demonstrate unconditional love by addressing the behavior and not
the character of the child when applying correction, advises KidsHealth. Express forgiveness when your child shows remorse for a
misdeed. If you know what behaviors are mistakes or age-appropriate exploration, you can make allowances for those behaviors in ways
that encourage your child to grow and learn. Employ positive reinforcement when you set limits and keep your expectations realistic and
appropriate to your childs development and abilities. Your toddler probably wont sit still for several hours and your teen isnt going to
blindly accept everything you say.
Teacher
A large part of your job as parent is to teach your child what he needs to become a productive and responsible adult. Model the behavior
you want to see and take advantage of teachable moments to impart wisdom and common sense to your child. Your child will respond
best to lessons that are creative, fun and impart a sense of adventure and discovery, according to Dr. Lisa Marotta, a private practice
psychologist in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Set clear limits for your childs behavior and employ logical consequences when your child
complies or defies those limits. Your child should know that you have confidence in his ability to learn and respond to new challenges.

Parents play a major role in the life of a child. Although, the invention of so many toys and the influence of peers have greatly
affected childrens behavior of modern time, parents with good traits can use these influences to mold the personality and
behavior of a child for the good. I believe that ideal parents should be of good moral character, good listener and patience.
Parents should have good moral character, because they are the role models of children. It has been known that children are
the reflection of their parents trait. For instance, my parents do not smoke, gamble or drink. They express virtue in all their
actions. They taught us how to respect to elders, and be sensitive to other peoples feelings all the time. They have been my
idol all my life, because they were able to raised six children so well and none of us went astray.
Furthermore, being a good listener is very important. When parents have time to listen to their children, the communication is
open between parties. To illustrate, my brother failed his science subject in school. My parents did not judge or scold him,
instead they talked to him and listened to his concerns. They found out that he did not understand his lesson well because of
his assigned seat. He was sitting next to an air conditioner, and it bothered him.
Having patience has a lot to do with parenting. Although children behavior gets out of hand sometimes due to certain issues
like mood, parents exert extra mile of patience to comfort them with love and care. For example, my sister when she was in
her elementary years, she refused to attend school. My mother was always late for work, because of my sisters action. She
would always try to bribe her with something so she would go into class.
Parenting is a tough job comes with big responsibility. Therefore it is crucial that parents should have outstanding character, a
good listener and patience, so that they would have wonderful children.
First and foremost parents have to listen to their children. Today both the father and mother find no time to spend with their kids. Lack of
attention from the parents is the root cause of many problems among the kids. So the parents should make a vow to spend at least an hour
daily, talking to their kids.There are some fathers, who drowned in their jobs, do not even know the class in which their kids are studying.
When parents keep their ear and heart open for their kids, half of the problems that the younger generation face, would be solved. So I
personally feel that a good parent should listen to their kids.
The next quality which I feel as important for a good parent is that they should be a role model to their kids. Kids learn to do things by
imitation. So, parents should do things instead of advising their kids. For example, when the parents get up early, do their works themselves,
keep their house tidy, be polite, be helpful to others etc., then the kids will automatically follow their parents. The parents do not have to
advice them. And today's kids hate advices.So why not the parents live the life and be an example to their children.
Last but not the least the parents have to be affectionate towards their children. Never hate them, when they do something wrong. Even
when they go in the wrong path, the love and affection that the parents show their kids will bring them back to the right track.
Apart from the above mentioned qualities, some other qualities like patience, tolerance etc., are also needed for the parents. All the children
born in this world are good. As they grow, they become good or bad depending on the way, their parents bring them up. Therefore, I
mentioned some qualities, which I thought are important for a good parent.
A good parent should be caring and loving. A strong bond is formed between the parent and the child if there is love. This is
something magical and inexplicable but both the parent and the child feel it. What makes a parent so special and important is
the unconditional love he/she gives to his/her child. A loving and caring environment is very crucial in a child`s growth.
Statistics have shown that those from happy families have a more optimistic view of the world and generally live happy lives,
while those from broken families or families where both parents quarrel often are more irritable and peevish. A child`s
character is easily shaped by the surroundings so it is a parent`s responsibility to provide a loving environment to his/her
child.
A good parent should also be a good role model for the child to look up to. A child learns many of his habits from his parents
and it is all up to a parent to choose what kind of habits he/she wants his/her child to inherit. For example, a parent should
immediately quit smoking if he/she notices his/her child has the tendency to pick up this bad habit. All in all, a good parent
should behave himself in order to set good examples to his child. To be a good parent is hard but not impossible; in fact I
believe all those who really put in a great deal of effort should find themselves doing well in this job. After all what is more
important is the attitude; if one wants to be a good parent, he can do it.
Make Family Time a Priority:
In recent years, there has been a lot of emphasis on keeping kids challenged -- and busy. When children are as young as 3 or 4, we sign
them up for gym classes, music lessons, sports teams, and more. We're afraid that our children will fall behind if they don't participate in
what everyone else is doing. So we've become servants to our kids -- driving them here and there, scheduling our lives around their
activities.
I think it's far more important to make family time your biggest priority than to cater to everybody's individual activities all the time. Eat dinner
as a family, even if it means your child won't be able to make a soccer practice. Kids should carve out time for grandparents and other
relatives too. Children also need lots of downtime when you can all just relax and be together as a family. Family bonds are an anchor for
kids: Their activities will come and go, but family relationships will last a lifetime.
*William J. Doherty, Ph.D., professor of family and social science at the University of Minnesota, in St. Paul, and author ofTake Back Your Kids
Good parenting helps foster empathy, honesty, self-reliance, self-control, kindness, cooperation, and cheerfulness, says
Steinberg. It also promotes intellectual curiosity, motivation, and desire to achieve. It helps protect children from
developing anxiety, depression, eating disorders, anti-social behavior, and alcohol and drug abuse.
"Parenting is one of the most researched areas in the entire field of social science," says Steinberg, who is a distinguished
professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia. The scientific evidence for the principles he outlines "is very,
very consistent," he tells WebMD.
10. Treat your child with respect. "The best way to get respectful treatment from your child is to treat him respectfully,"
Steinberg writes. "You should give your child the same courtesies you would give to anyone else. Speak to him politely.
Respect his opinion. Pay attention when he is speaking to you. Treat him kindly. Try to please him when you can. Children
treat others the way their parents treat them. Your relationship with your child is the foundation for her relationships with
others."
For example, if your child is a picky eater: "I personally don't think parents should make a big deal about eating," Steinberg
tells WebMD. "Children develop food preferences. They often go through them in stages. You don't want turn mealtimes into
unpleasant occasions. Just don't make the mistake of substituting unhealthy foods. If you don't keep junk food in the house,
they won't eat it."
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/10-commandments-good-parenting?page=3
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Parent
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/good-parent-5442.html
http://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/style/secrets-to-being-a-great-parent/
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/10-commandments-good-parenting
http://www.ahaparenting.com/parenting-tools/raise-great-kids/Resolutions-better-parent
My 5 Parenting Goals
1. Keep My Eyes Open
Sometimes we notice that something does not feel right with a child but we get distracted. We are all very busy, its true. We
have great pressures and responsibilities pulling us in too many directions. The child who seems a little off, not himself,
snappy or more quiet than usual is trying to tell us something. But it is easy to tuck this information away in a back pocket and
only realize that something is wrong when a crisis occurs. We then think back and recognize that the signs were there, we
were just too preoccupied to pay attention.
Dont allow problems with your child to fester and grow. Open your eyes and observe if a child seems sad, withdrawn, distant,
more moody than usual, or angry. Recognize if there seems to be greater confrontation between this child and siblings, if
friends stop calling or coming over, or if the child cant seem to find his place in school. Because before you know it, half the
year can go by and what could have been a small problem has now become a situation that requires major time and
investment and causes terrible aggravation.
2. Develop a Working Relationship with Teachers
Reach out to your childs teachers before your child reaches zero hour. Many parents feel as if teachers are their opponents
and don't realize that we are are all here to try and help our children grow in the best way possible. If you think that there may
be an issue, it is a good idea to set up a meeting with the teacher and ask how you can work in harmony. Too many parents
call teachers to demand and accuse instead of saying that we would like to solve this problem together. Before going to the
principal with a complaint, see if you can first diffuse the situation.
If there are any special concerns going on in your home, do not wait for the teacher to find out through your childs acting up in
class or failure to keep up with schoolwork and poor grades.
When a grandparent falls ill, if there is a health issue, financial stress, marital upheaval, problems with siblings, or any other
factor that may affect your childs academic or social success, it would be wise to enlist your childs teacher as your
confidential ally and gain her/his understanding. You can believe that most teachers would go the extra mile and extend to
your child an open heart.
3. Work on Social Skills
Help your child be successful this year by preparing him not just academically, but also socially. School is not simply about
getting straight As, it is also about learning how to get on with others and knowing how to develop friendships. A child who is
happy in school is a child who can focus on studying and doing well. He wants to be there and be a part of things. One who
believes that school is all about academics and no social life unfortunately makes a big mistake.
How can we better teach our children social skills?
Set rules and follow through with consequences when needed.
Set routines for meals and bedtimes that establish stability.
Develop your childs ability to put himself in the shoes of others and grow more sensitive.
Help your child learn how to express frustration, disappointment and anger without hurting others or retreating into
sullenness.
Establish basic rules of conduct: no hitting, kicking, biting, spitting, (no hands allowed), and no hurting others through
our words.
4. Help Children Become Independent
When children feel as if they are gaining skills and becoming self-sufficient, they grow more confident in their abilities. You will
watch their self-esteem take off. Each year, every child should be able to point with pride to a newfound skill or added
responsibility that comes with age.
We can help our children grow independent and flourish by:
Teaching our children to pick out their clothing, dress themselves as they grow older, tie their own shoes, pack school
snacks, make lunches the night before, set their own alarm clocks instead of waking them up, and having children put
away their books and organizing themselves.
Allow a young child to complete puzzles and feed himself on his own and as he grows, to do his homework and
projects by himself. It is much healthier to tell a child that you will check his work when he is done instead of sitting
beside him and correcting the answers as he goes along. Book reports and science projects should not be parents
homework.
Have your child help around the house and gain responsibilities instead of waiting to be served. Some skills children
can help with are putting away laundry, setting and clearing the table, helping to serve guests, baking, cooking and
keeping their room in order.
5. Communicate with Each Child
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Our children should never be afraid to speak with us. No matter how tough the topic, even if they messed up badly, they
should not fear that we will hate them or want to close the door on them. Our love must be unconditional. True, there may be
consequences or emotions of disappointment, but they must know that we are here for them. After all, we are their parents
and if they cannot believe in our love for them, whose love can they believe in?
Work on communicating with your child this year. I am not just speaking about when you must call him in with a problem like
failing grades or after you received a call from his teacher. I am talking about daily interactions where you share a smile, a
good word, a laugh, a story, or a meal together. The main thing is that you put the time and energy in so that he knows that he
matters in your life.
Talk to your child every day-even if its just for a few minutes.
Put down your iPhone , turn off your laptop when your child (or you) return home, at mealtimes and story times, and
when you pick your child up from school. Look at him and make eye contact while having a conversation.
Speak to your child in the tone and with the words that you wish he would use with others.
Express your love every day, no matter how tough the day.
I know that some days will bring unforeseen difficulties and that some children seem more challenging than others. But at least
we will know in our hearts that we have tried our best to help our children navigate the road of life successfully.

To become a parent is a god's gift. We have to utilise that gift in a good way. The children's behaviour will depend
on how their parents brought them up. So it is a very important duty of a parent to take a good care of their
children. It is a very big responsibilty of a human beig to be a good parent.
A parent is said to be a good parent only after seeing how he has brought up his children. They should bring up the
children in a very good discipline. Discipline doesn't mean that they have to to punish their children for each and
everything. It is common that children do mistakes,what a good parent must do is he has to tell his children what is
good and what is bad in a way that they can understand that. Giving punishment will not help them in any
way,instead it will create new problems. Children will develop hatred towards their parents because of the
punishments given to them. So it is the responsibility of a good parent to teach children what is good and what is
bad.

Bringing up the children is not a easy task.It needs lot of patience. During the early childhood,parents need lot of
patience to take care of the children. So having patience is one of the quality that a good parent must have. Now-a-
days both mother and father have to work in order to lead a happy life. But it should not affect the children. They
have to spend atleast sometime with their children everyday. Otherwise they will get the feeling that they were
neglected by thier parents.This is not a good sign.So spending sometime with the children everyday is also a quality
that a good parent must have.

Some people think that giving the children what they want,will finish thier duty as a parent. But this is not true.
Children will be happy only when they can get the attention they are expecting from the parents. Parents should be like friends
to their children. They have to discuss everyhting with their children. Love,this will effect each and every human being. So for a
parent to be a good parent he should love his children and at the same time he should be loved by their children. When
children go to school they will see so many other's parents. They should not a get a feeling that thier parents are not taking care
of them as his friend's parents are taking. Parents must be very careful about this.

Different parents have their own ways to teach their children, and all of them always want to become good parents and
bring all best things for their children. However, does any one know exactly about what are some characteristics of a good
parent? As far as I am concerned, there are three mains qualities that a good parent must have, those are consideration, care
and being patient.
To begin with, a good parent always considers their children. In order to become good parents, each parent has to
understand their children and communicate with them. Through consideration, parent can build the good relationship with
their children and understand their thinks, and they can decide how to bring their children up. For instance, children often
have some trouble in the school, such as being shy with teacher or worry about lessons, and they also often do not tell these
problems with their parents. Nevertheless, if parents spend their time to observe and talk with their children, they can
recognize these issues and find many good ways to help their children to fix these issues.
In addition, parent have to become patient with their children. Children are very intelligent and exciting, but they often make
a lot of mistakes. Sometime, children dislike their parents decision and oppose what parents said; therefore, parents have to
teach them carefully and gradually in order to help them become better. For example, when I was a child, I did not want to
school because of being nervous, and I cried when my parent brought me to school. My mother was very patient with me.
She spent two weeks to go to school with me, and she seated near me all the class time, so that made me felt confident.
After that time, I could go to school without my mother.
Finally, children need care from their parents. They are small and not health enough to fight back some illness, such as cold
flu or tooth decay; as a result, parents have to always take care of them, teach them how to be healthy, check their health. In
addition, parents have to provide nutrient foods for their children in order to help them to develop better.
In conclusion, the good parents will have great children. For all of reasons that I mentioned above, I think that a good parent
have to always consider and take care of their children, and they also become patient in order to teach their children better.
One technique I think everyone should do is to spend quality time with their child. The
first example on how I spend time with my kids is to take them to the park. Every kid loves
going to the park. I personally love surprising my nieces and nephews by taking them to the park
every weekend I get them. We go to the lake and feed the ducks. Then we go to the play area and
swing, slide down slides, and whatever else they want to do. Before we leave we have a picnic
by the lake. Another way to spend time with a child is to teach them how to cook. Children love
to do things in the kitchen. I let them do things in the kitchen according to their age. I started
letting them help me when they are about two. I start off by letting them pour ingredients into the
bowl and letting them stir the mixture. I also let them place cookies on the cookie sheet. When
they are between six and 10 I teach them how to use the microwave, but they never use it
unsupervised. When they are around 14 they learn how to use the stove and oven. My final
example is playing games with them. Game time is one of the best ways to spend time with a
child. Mine and my nephews favorite games are Connect four and Candyland. We can play them
for hours. I think by spending with my nieces and nephews helps them connect, share, learn and
also get the family time that is essential for a healthy life.
Honesty is a huge factor in being a good parent. Remember the quote "Honesty is the
best policy" this includes being honest with yours kids also. Logically if everyone starts off by
lying to them, when they get older they will think that it is okay to lie to their parents or others.
I have always been honest with my kids, but depending on their age everyone have to careful on
how things are said. One example is I was living with my best friend and her kids, and ended up
really close to the guy I was dating at that time. Eventually, we ended up breaking up. After a
few days they realized he wasn't coming around as often as he was, so they asked me where he
was. I told my nephews, that were 4 and 6 at the time, that he had to go away for a little while,
but he would be by to see them very soon and that he loved and missed them very much. Now
my niece on the other hand I was completely honest with her. I sat down with her and told her
that he and I had a few problems and we thought it would be best to have time apart. So, we
could work on the problems. After that whole situation my niece realized that I would always be
completely honest with her and now she comes to me about anything. From my experience in
life, being honest about everything in every situation has always had an excellent outcome for
me, and it is great quality that I would like my children to have throughout their life.
Another characteristic that every parent must know is how to discipline a child. The
first step I use to discipline my kids is to talk to them about the situation. I let my niece or
nephew know what they are doing wrong because they might not understand that they are even
doing anything wrong. Also, I tell them that their behavior or what they are doing is not
acceptable, and if they do it again they will go to time out. If they proceed with the behavior that
I have already spoken to them about I place them in time out. For time out I usually place them
on the couch, timeout bench, or if you are outside place them on the porch. I usually have a
kitchen timer and I will set it for 2 minutes. After the 2 minutes is over with I talk to them again
and let them start playing again. If step one or two doesn't work I have to go to step three. Step
three I ground them from a toy or whatever they like to do for a couple of hours. An example of step three is not letting them
watch their favorite television show. Instead I let them watch