7 Principles for Parenting Success

                                                                                                                               By: Dr. L Pettis Patton

These seven principles were developed as a guide to parenting with excellence and success. Follow these principles and successfully raise a child to achieve their goals to success.

§  1^st Principle

Be a Committed Parent

-          Make a commitment to be the very best you can be in whatever you are apart which includes parenting. It does not matter how small the task or the challenge be committed to excellence.

-          Maintaining good health for yourself and your child. Be disciplined in making the healthy changes you need to make.  Eat and drink properly, exercise, get proper rest and find ways to rejuvenate daily.

-          To be a good parent you must have strength, energy and rejuvenation for the journey or parenting a child.

2^nd Principle

Be Available For Your Child

-          From the moment of birth absolutely nothing should ever rival or become more important than your child.

-          From rising in the morning, throughout the day and even into the night your child should be your top priority.

-          Now there is a difference in having something being a top priority and becoming consumed. Let it be clear your child should be your top priority, but never become consumed. For if you become consumed you loose a sense of who you are, your purpose and the goals you have set to achieve.

-         Whatever your child is a participant you must find time to provide support and be present.

3^rd Principle

 Right Teaching Begins the Moment of Birth.

-          A parent is your child’s first teacher, every single thing a child needs to be taught from the moment of birth parents are surely the catalyst toward insuring right teaching.

-          Home schooling begins the moment of birth and the first teacher is you the mother and father. Whether breast feeding or bottle-feeding learning restraint and teaching patience begins at birth.

-          Teaching your child right from wrong is so important during every opportunity you are afforded.  Always try to find teaching moments with your child. For your child’s success begins with knowing right from wrong.

-           For whether you realize it or not you only have 18 short years to mold and shape your child.

-          This equates to 6,570 days, 152, 680 hours and 946,080 minutes from birth until your child’s l8th birthday.

4^th Principle –

Provide an Excellent Education  

-          Make sure your child from the moment of birth is challenged and availed the best opportunities to learn and become well educated.

-          Before birth  expose yourself to daily reading aloud, listen to classical music a practice that should continue throughout your child’s life.

-          Provide an environment that embraces education and instill in your child the desire to aspire to excellence in every task undertakened.

-          Repetitive reading to your child the same book daily, where your child can begin to tell the story has been found to be so very important in the life of a preschooler.

-          Read, communicate, listen and respond to every question your child ask, no matter how many are asked daily.

    5^th Principle –

    Teach Good Manners, Self-discipline, Strong Character – The Building  

       Blocks for You Child’s Success

-          A parent is responsible for instilling good manners, self-respect, strong self-esteem and the importance of good strong character.

-          What you say and do as a parent has lasting impressions on your child. It is not only what you say, but also more importantly what you do that thunders so loudly.

    6^th Principle –

    There are No Impossibilities - only opportunities for your child to achieve 

       success.

-          The parent  must be the #1 cheerleader for your child.

-          Everyday you must encourage, compliment, inspire, listen and motivate your child to try and be the very best.  

-          You must let your child know that there are no impossibilities in life only opportunities.

-          A parent begins very early to create success in your child’s life through very simple tasks, teaching your child how to put little toys away. And complimenting simple task.

-          You begin to etch the spiritual connection in your child through involvement in school, community and religious activities.

     7^th Principle -  

      As  parent – “Exemplifies the Successful Life” you want your child to 

      model.

-          A parent is your child’s first role model, what you want your child to become should be exemplified through you and your behaviors.

-          If you aren’t being a role model for your child through the things you are doing then you need to make a quick turn around and go in a new more positive direction.

-          It is no longer the premise to do what I say and not what I do.

-          Be a great individual first.

-          Be a good citizen and good neighbor.