Parenting Practice Makes Perfect
Let the Rules Rule Consistently for Effective Parenting
Have you ever started a parenting plan only to abandon it a few days or weeks later? Haven't we all! You can be more effective with intention AND commitment.
We are about a quarter of the way through the New Year. Many of us have abandoned the resolutions that held so much promise three months ago. If you are among us, don't worry. The New Year isn't the only time to make promises to change our lives. When it is time to make any change, the best time to start is right now.
If your resolutions included being a better parent (you know, being more patient, consistent, firm or kind) but you've started and stopped your new parenting plan or program a few times - don't waste too much time feeling discouraged...as the song goes, "pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again." Don't give up; your kids are counting on you.
This article - Practice Makes Perfect - is the first in a two part series about harnessing the power of intention to create a parenting plan you can stick with for lasting results.
Think about the last time you tried to lose a few pounds. If you were successful, chances are great that you owe your success to more than good intentions. While intentions are an important start on the road to change, you are more likely to reach your goals with:
- Your willingness to make a plan
- Your willingness to stick with that plan
- Your commitment to achieving the anticipated outcome
Effective parenting is not much different from making the lifestyle changes associated with maintaining a healthy weight. The process is ongoing and the work requires more than intention. For example, again using the weight loss scenario, you probably:
- Made a plan that included healthy meals and exercise
- Stuck to that plan and, mostly, avoided the doughnuts at staff meeting
- Remained committed to your goal of looking and/or feeling better
Your success was directly related to your work to achieve your weight loss goal - not just your intention to lose weight.
Again, while we all intend to be good parents - intention alone is not enough to raise happy, healthy, responsible, compassionate children. In the second part of this article, we will talk about how we can use intention to:
- Make and stick to a parenting plan that reflects our parenting vision and mission
- Re-energize our commitment to be better parents
- Encourage ourselves and our children
- Practice patience
- Forgive our parenting missteps
Stay tuned!
