parenting tips

Job Description: Parents are responsible for designing, developing and implementing an 18 year life skills training program for those in their charge. Candidates are required to be on-call 24/7 for the rest of their natural life, and must accept responsibility for anything and everything that goes wrong. In addition, they must have the skills and means to provide food, shelter and security. Candidates must be emotionally and physically strong, compassionate, patient and skilled in dispute resolution techniques. On the job training provided.

Sounds familiar?? Parenting is the hardest job we do for which no training, degree, certification or licensure is required. Here are some tips to help you do the job well:

• Tell your children that you love them. Children need to hear that their parents cherish them



• Set limits and establish rules. Make sure the limits and rules are age appropriate, reasonable and few in number. Enforce the limits and consequences consistently as they will test them again and again



• Negotiate with your teens. State your expectations and let them state theirs. Negotiate a compromise you can both live with



• Listen, Listen, Listen, - resist the urge to give advice or offer solutions. Your kids are not always looking for answers, they just want you to listen



• Make eye contact when you communicate with your children and give them your undivided attention. Let them know that what they have to say is important to you



• Don't give too many instructions at once



• Make every effort to keep promises



• Say "NO" without feeling guilty. Saying "NO" does not mean you do not love them, it means you love them enough to say "NO"



• Never use sarcasm, ridicule or put-downs. Don't call children names or label them with derogatory words



• At every stage of childhood and adolescence catch them being good and compliment, praise and encourage them. Praise without words works well too - smiles and hugs and kisses



• Avoid comparing a child to other children. Each child has unique abilities and qualities



• Avoid talking about your children in their presence. Even if the story is cute, your child may be embarrassed



• When things go wrong, focus on the behavior that is unacceptable, not the child

Call your EAP at 1-888-600-4EAP for more information, help and support. Counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide confidential assistance at no cost to you.

Empty Nest Syndrome