BY MARIA LUISA SALCINES
Sometimes while raising your children you might wonder if other families go through some of the issues you have.
You might feel ashamed that your child is acting out due because you think you are doing a bad job.
All families deal with behavioral problems and teen rebellion, and most parents will have periods in their lives when they worry and wonder what they are doing wrong.
Over the years I have heard parents say things like, “My child would never do that.”
The more confident you are that you have a perfect child, the more likely that your child is doing things behind your back.
We all did things behind our parents back that we weren’t suppose to do.
Ignorance might be bliss, but it is better to have a relationship with your children that allows them to come to you even when they mess up and know that there will be consequences.
Parenting is a balancing act. You can’t be too strict because then you raise children that will lie to you, and you can’t be too lenient because then you put your children in circumstances they might not be mature enough to handle.
It’s a tug-of-war in which you let go a little and then pull them back in. Trust your children but never blind yourself from the fact that children will test boundaries.
Young children will misbehave, and teenagers will defy you. These mistakes are learning experiences and not personal attacks on your parenting skills.
There is no such thing as a perfect parent or perfect child. When you hear of the troubles someone else is going through instead of judging them, say a prayer for them.
Have empathy for the parents and circumstances the family is facing.
Parenting is the most difficult job you will ever have because your heart is completely invested.
In matters of the heart, it is always more difficult to see things clearly. So don’t hesitate to talk to someone you trust about the issues you are going through. More than likely you will discover they too have dealt with a similar situation.
Maria Luisa Salcines is a freelance writer, and certified parent educator with The International Network for Children and Families in Redirecting Children’s Behavior and Redirecting for a Cooperative Classroom. Follow her on Twitter @PowerOfFamily or on Instagram at mlsalcines. You can also contact her on her blog FamilyLifeandFindingHappy.com.
