Len Stauffenger asked:
You began your life with a tabula raza, a clean slate, and on it was written the input of your wonderful parents, your friends and families, your school teachers, all of your friends, what you watched on television or in the movies. You quickly digested books after you learned to read. You were a sponge – open, impressionable and with a wide desire for everything. When things came at you too quickly, you recorded that. And when it arrived out of either fear or from love, you recorded that.
That’s how things worked for you when you were growing up. Now, you are parenting successful children – your very own kids. Your parents wanted the best for you. You want the best for your kids in like manner. You want them to grow up to be healthy, happy, productive members of society. These are some simple principles to raise a successful child. Being a parent is one of the most important jobs you’ll ever be asked to perform. You thought getting through college was tough. Wait until you parent your child, making an effort to model the very best for them, and look backwards on the job you did as a parent. Now that is a challenge! Frankly, I think that every person who does the job of parenting a young mind, should have Parent as his title or degree. Len Stauffenger, Parent-Cum-Laude.
Your kids are like the little sponge you were as a child, soaking up impressions and experiences. You are your kids’ best role model. You are their hero. You’d be wise to think about how you can use these influences to their best advantage.
If you want your kids to be successful, help them become smart children by seeing the steps you are taking or have taken to become successful yourself. If you want your kids to become self-sufficient, you be self-sufficient and then applaud every tiny step of their progress. You can teach your child to be a wonderful worker by letting him or her work with you to see how it’s properly done. If you want your kids to be happy, model happiness for them and explain how you make those choices. Ask your child questions about what he needs and provide it.
Your children adore you. You’ve all heard stories of sick parents who abuse their children and the kids still adore them! There is no explaining that.
Teaching is what you do every time you interact with your children. Now is always happening in each present moment throughout the day. You are always teaching your children no matter what you’re doing with them: homework, attending their sports programs, or just having dinner. It doesn’t matter if you’re having dinner in your kitchen or if you’re a part-time parent who is having dinner at McDonald’s. What matters is that you’re really there. You are a guide and an anchor. Know that you are a teacher, that you are a role model. That’s how you will have the greatest impact on your children. Parenting highly successful children isn’t about stirring speeches or big events. It’s about the quiet times and the little things.