the ultimate joys of parenting

Throughout your life you have probably experienced many happy occasions but there is simply nothing that can compare to the moment your baby is placed in your arms for the first time. You look down into the precious little face and feel that teeny little hand grasp your finger for all it is worth. It is an emotion that encompasses everything and suddenly life as you have known it and will forever know it has changed.

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Hand Covers Bruise 

The bond between a parent and child is extremely strong. In most cases, barring any medical emergencies, you will be allowed to hold your baby as soon as he or she is born. This is the moment the bonding process begins to take place. Certainly, you have already bonded with your baby to a degree while he or she was inside the womb, but the moment you hold your baby in your arms, you begin to bond.I Just Forgot (A Little Critter Book)

How to be a great parent

Being a parent is one of the most fulfilling experiences a person can have. There is a natural instinct that seems to come to a new parent, but there are bits of advice that can help when you are challenged in the growing up years. The most important thing however, that any parent can give their child, is a sense of being loved and the most important thing that any parent can remember is that they don't have to be infallible to be a "perfect" parent

• Set boundaries such as bedtimes and curfews, so they learn that they have limitations. By doing so, they actually get a sense of being loved and cared about by their parents. They might rebel at those boundaries, but inwardly enjoy knowing that concerned parents guide and love them.
• Encourage responsibility by giving them jobs or "chores" to do and as a reward for those jobs give them some kind of privilege (money, extended curfew, extra play time, etc.). As "punishment" for not doing these jobs, they have the corresponding privilege revoked. Even the youngest of children can learn this concept of reward/consequence. As your child grows, give them more responsibilities and more rewards/consequences for completing those responsibilities (or not).
• Teach them what is right and wrong. If you are religious, take them to the religious institute that you follow. If you are agnostic, teach them your moral stance on things. In either case, don't be hypocritical or be prepared for your child to point out that you are not "practicing what you preach".
• Make sure that they have a healthy way of life. Many parents do this the wrong way. Instead of forcing children to try eating something, give them a choice between two things. It can push children, especially preteens and up, to a very emotional point, if you begin to harp for them to change their eating habits. If they want something unhealthy, suggest an alternative or a smaller size. If you know they favor a certain unhealthy food at a restaurant, taking them there a lot is not good. And if you start over-explaining to the child that it is unhealthy or that they shouldn't get it -- they may take it the wrong way and feel like you are insulting them. Once this happens, they will no longer want to go out to eat with you, and they will feel bad eating around you which could make them want to sneak and hide junk food from you. When you tell them they can't have something or shouldn't... it can create one of two things. One, it could make them want it even more and find out how to get it anyways. Two, it could make them feel extremely bad (contrary/oppositional), and they might go all out with all unhealthy foods except that one which could be worse than giving choices to get cooperation.
  • When trying to enforce healthy eating habits, start it at a younger age. Giving rewards of candy to children may create a bad habit, because once they get older, some may feel they should reward themselves which can lead to obesity. While they are young, start them out with healthier snacks. Instead of chips, try goldfish (crackers), grapes, etc. The eating habits they learn as they are younger are the ones they continue to have. Also, never make your child finish their plate, if they say they are hungry. This can continue throughout their life causing them to finish no matter what portions are on their plate.
• Don't routinely do things for your children that they can learn to do for themselves. While getting them a glass of water before bed is a nice way to make them get to sleep faster, don't do it so often that they come to expect it.
• Model moderation and taking responsibility while they are young when it comes to alcohol. Explain that they will have to wait until they are old enough to enjoy a drink with friends, and talk about the importance of designated drivers. Failure to discuss these issues early sometimes contributes to sneaking and dangerous experimentation, if they don't understand. Again, don't be hypocritical or your child will (more than likely) ignore your advice.

Praise your children:

• Avoid comparing your children to others, especially siblings. Each child is individual and unique. Celebrate their differences and instill in each child the desire to pursue their interests and dreams. Failure to do so may give your child an inferiority complex, an idea that they can never be good enough in your eyes.
• Teach your children that it is okay for them to be different, and they do not have to follow the crowd. Teach them right from wrong when they are young, and they will (more often than not) be able to make their own decisions, instead of listening to/following others.
• Remember that your child is not an extension of yourself. Your child is an individual under your care, not a chance for you to relive your life through them.