Parenting Confidence - Who Needs It?
It used to strike me as odd - but really, it makes perfect
sense. If you are a regular flier, or have flown recently, you'll
know what I mean. The 'plane is taxiing along for take off
and the cabin crew are going through the pre-flight safety
routine. The odd bit I'm referring to is when they tell you what to
do with the oxygen masks in the event of the cabin losing
pressure. Now, all decent parents would feel the urge to
see to their children first. It's a natural instinct. After all, you regularly hear of adults throwing themselves
down to push a child out of the way of an oncoming truck,
with no heed for their own safety. So what advice are parents given? See to your own oxygen mask first. In other words, see to
your own safety and then look after the kids. Yes, it used to strike me as odd - but when you think about
it, it makes perfect sense. Your kids need you to look after them. And you're no use
to anyone if, whilst trying to assist them, you're
struggling
to breathe and start to lose consciousness. The common sense rule is: see to yourself first -
that way you'll be in a better position to help others.
And that way you all stand a better chance of survival. And so it is with parenting skills. You want to have the best parenting skills for your family.
And while you're at it, you want to overcome all your family
problems and challenges. Most parents mean well. They want the best. But often they
overlook the obvious: You must first of all look to yourself. Probably the best parenting skills you can develop are
high
self-esteem and confidence. Yes, for you, yourself, not your family. Their development and confidence will follow on naturally
from yours. Because with high self-esteem and confidence you'll be
relaxed, self-assured, assertive, and you'll
cope in a
crisis. And all these qualities will be like music to your family's
ears! A Mom and Dad who are relaxed, confident and caring in
their parenting activities will produce relaxed, confident
and caring children. But today there is a wave of anxiety, fear and panic, not
just among parents, but in society in general. Ask yourself just how confident you are in tackling
your parenting projects. Why not boost your parenting skills by boosting yourself
first and foremost? Whether you're a Mom or a Dad, or even
if you want to do this together as a couple, there's a
wealth of resources available. A simple internet search will turn up an endless stream of
parenting resources. The more effective your parenting skills, the more balanced
and productive our citizens! And you know what? Your kids will love you for it! Happy parenting . . . Why do some parents and children succeed, while others
fail?
Frank McGinty is an internationally published author and
teacher. If you want to develop your parenting
skills and encourage your kids to be all they can be,
visit his web pages, http://www.frank-mcginty.com/peace-formula.html
AND http://www.frank-mcginty.com/for-parents.html
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