Good Parenting Skill » Parent Plaza

Good parenting skill is one of the popular terms of our day that everyone uses but not very many fully understand what exactly is involved. Happily for us learn-as-you-go parents, good parenting skills are teachable; learning them is the more difficult task. "Why is that?" you ask. I suspect it is because the basis for upbringing children in a moral society has as its roadmap an ever-varying path. And as a path, it is at best merely a sketch of what others have tried and found success in. To paint a masterpiece still requires skill, dedication, focus - and luck.

We have no control over the families we were born into, which should give a reason to lighten up somewhat and face what comes our way with a smile. Maybe that's a stretch when considering the daunting task of mastering good parenting skills, but the point is useful. Tackling harsh topic matter in a light, upbeat way - with hope and optimism - this goes a long way in the journey through child-rearing.

Many times people do not consider exactly what talents will be required to be good parents until it is too late. It often strikes them some place between pregnancy and the delivery room. That gives little time to consider all the ins and outs of what will come next. The good news is there's still some time before the kids are threatening to run away. Congratulations! The journey has begun. If you haven't yet started a good parenting skills list, start one now.

Already Underway - Time to Read the Manual

We are often told that we should first read the manual. We almost always scramble to find the manual when we're already underway. After skimming over that chapter the next step in growing successful parenting skills is to ask your parents. This is at which dedication comes in and this is why I still say "at which's mom when you need her?" Moms are dedicated to their children - period. Dads are too but you have to dig a little deeper to find it sometimes.

Your parents have been through it, to ask them and continue asking them. If your parents are not available, ask a successful parent. But beware, all gifts come with a concealed price tag and there are no exceptions here.

Time really flies by and will be gone before you know it, so it is important to focus. My mom stopped giving advice at some point, just smiling and saying, "Twenty years from now you won't remember it." Ninety years and a million grandkids helped her to develop a great grandma's perspective on good parenting skills. Put talent, dedication, focus and luck together and love will be the result.

Associated News Items

Professors face quandary: Is it art, or warning sign? (The Columbus Dispatch)
The writing assignments are meant to help teachers understand how students think and who they are. Sometimes, the response is a cry for help. Sometimes, it?s a sign of a troubled mind, like Cho Seung-Hui, the gunman who killed 32 people at Virginia Tech and then himself. ...more

To tell tooth, Britney's parenting questioned (New York Daily News)
Britney Spears' parenting prowess is again under scrutiny by the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services, celebrity Web site TMZ.com reported yesterday.. ...more

Education briefs (Silver City Sun-News)
Growing Up Together Strong (GUTS) is a new support group starting up in Silver City. The program lends a hand to both pregnant and parenting teens, their partners and family members. This is a free program provided at Hidalgo Medical Services. ...more

Parenting pro here tomorrow (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Lynne Reeves Griffin, a parenting expert, will speak at St. Catherine's School at 7 p.m. tomorrow. The Scituate, Mass.-based author will discuss her new book "Negotiation Generation: Take Back Your Parental Authority Without Punishment" (Berkley Trade Paperback, $14). Griffin is also the executive director and founder of Proactive Parenting. ...more

Oswego Rotary (Palladium Times)
Oswego Rotary meets, noon, King Arthur’s Steakhouse, 7 W. Bridge St. FADD Parenting Class “The Total Transformation,” 7-9 p.m., 98 E. Bridge St., Oswego. ...more