More Parenting Advice

I came across a piece of parenting advice that I forgot to mention the last time (click here for the previous article on my parenting advice).

Never make threats or promises you can't keep. I remembered this one as I almost violated it tonight. The boys weren't staying in bed and trying to get to sleep. I almost said, "Stay in your beds or you won't be having a playdate at your friend's house tomorrow night." They're supposed to go over to their best friend's house tomorrow around supper time so that Beth and I can have a few hours out to celebrate our anniversary (13 years today). I'm not going to take away our date night because the boys weren't settling down tonight.

A few more, while I'm thinking of them:

Don't give your kids everything they ask for. I see a lot of kids who have every toy they want, go any place they want, do anything they want. They're going to be in for a rude awakening when they're out on their own and a boss doesn't give them that raise they ask for or a professor doesn't change their grade after they ask. A big part of parenting is to raise our children to be able to live without us around some day, instilling them with good values, common sense and a strong character. I think we often do our children better by teaching them they don't always get what they want.

Teach children to work hard. Again, this is another area of preparing them for their adult lives, and it's kind of connected to the previous point. I had to pay for college myself. Because of that, I never skipped a class unless I was sick (because I knew how much each class was costing me). I also made sure I wasn't going to have to take a class a second time. I grew up on a farm and had chores (inside and outside the house) since I was young. I may not always be the best example of hard work (I admit there are times I get too wrapped up in time-wasters), but I know that working hard makes me feel better, often helps other people and gets the job done.

So, as parents, let us set the example and work hard to raise our children right. It pays off.