Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Are You Afraid to Parent?

Friends and/or acquaintances make comments all the time to me about how their kids behave poorly. Here are some of the comments:

"I tell them to go to bed and they just ignore me."

"I have to hide certain foods in the house so my kids won't eat it all."

"My little boy screams at me when I ask him to come in for dinner."

"I hate taking my children to the store because they argue and complain the whole time."

"We can't have a family meal because my children refuse to sit down at the table to eat."

It appears to me that their children have taken over and are holding them prisoner in their own home. It is so disappointing and upsetting to me to see parents absolutely uneducated about parenting and losing total control of their children. When there is a lack of parenting and very little boundaries set in a home the children will feel three very powerful emotions: anger, fear and sadness. And out of these 3 emotions you will train a child to be disrespectful, unhealthy and unhappy.

Parenting takes work but the results are worth it. As a society we research all the best beaches to go on for vacation or what car has the best ratings and options or the best diets on the market. But we won't pick up a book or get expert advice about how to parent. It blows me away.

It is time to stop being afraid to parent your child and start making some tough decisions about what are role really is when our baby enters the world. Let me explain something to parents out there, you will not be able to love your child into obedience or hug them so much they become respectful. A new toy will not motivate them to follow the rules or listen to good guidance. It is time to step up and do your number one job....Parenting! These children cannot do it on their own.

Just a thought....