4 Lessons I Have Learned About Parenting

January 4, 2015

As a stay-at-home mom for most of the 15 years I’ve been raising my three boys, I’ve learned a few things.

I’ve learned that I didn’t know ANYTHING about kids or parenting until I had my own spawn to deal with.

I’ve learned that anything I learned with my first born did nothing to prepare me for the second and anything I learned from raising the first two, taught me nothing to prepare me for having THREE !

I would like to share with you some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way. However, you can read this, talk to people, babysit, or be around babies and children all you want to prepare for parenthood, but it is a total game-changer when you have your very own little person that you created . . . that you are emotionally attached to . . . that you would do anything for. There is no connection or feeling like that of having a child.

1. Teach your children love and compassion and to deal with life and social situations the same way.

   Teach them to be proud of themselves in whatever they are doing. Any joy they find, as simple as it may be, is HUGE to them. Teach them to do the same for others . . . again love and compassion.

   Celebrate who they are . . . especially if they are “different” from the “norm.” Don’t confine and restrict them to your beliefs. Let them express themselves and find their true personality.
2. Lighten up – pick and choose your battles. Most children just want to have fun. Yes, they may unintentionally do things that cause chaos in our day, but how bad is it really?

   Yes, they might come in after going to the park to take their shoes off and dump sand all over your floor. What would your reaction be? What if you remind them with love and compassion that they should take their shoes off outside when they come home? Then HELP them clean up the mess. How would that make both of you feel.

   If you are stressed, they can become stressed. That negative energy can spread like wildfire. It’s ok to give yourself permission to take your own time out. It’s better than losing your cool and taking out your frustrations on your little ones.
3. Make sure your kids know the rules/guidelines/consequences and be consistent with keeping them in place. I read somewhere that it takes 100 times to correct an unwanted behavior. So, if you notice your child doing something consistently then, most likely, YOU have not been consistent with your consequences for that behavior.

   This is probably the hardest one for me. It’s so easy to make up excuses and let them get away with something . . . just let me remind you . . . 100 TIMES to correct that behavior. Ugh!
4. Realize that you are not perfect – nobody is, and that’s ok. Life is an ongoing lesson. You are going to make mistakes and you should accept that. How you handle them is a different story. We teach our children that they should apologize for something they have done wrong. Do you follow the same advice? Apologies, again done with love and compassion, go a long way.

   It’s ok to admit to your mistakes (of course as long as the discussion is age-appropriate). Your older children will end up having more respect for you and will realize that challenges can be met and worked out. If all you expose them to are the “good or happy” parts of life, they won’t be equipped to face these realities in their future.
5. Enjoy your time with them. Each stage is so different and goes by more quickly than the last. Life is too short.

   I hope these lessons can help you in some way. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think or if you have something to add.

If you would like to stay connected with me, please “like” my FB Page:

https://www.facebook.com/FindingSynchronicity