Kid Whisperer Nation Tips for Parents #51-55
Kid Whisperer Nation Tip for Parents #51
CHANGE, DON’T WITHSTAND, YOUR KIDS’ BEHAVIOR
Parents who attempt to wait out consistent negative behaviors, hoping that they will magically disappear, usually grow to resent their kids. Don’t allow kids to use annoying behaviors to get what they want. Change behaviors that are anti-social by not allowing kids to use them to get what they want, and by not getting angry while setting and enforcing limits (because sometimes you getting angry IS what that they want).
Kid Whisperer Nation Tip for Parents #52
EXPOSE YOUR KIDS TO THINGS YOU LIKE
Your kids are impressionable, they will be influenced by what they see and hear, and there’s a lot of garbage out there. Manage your kids’ exposure to the general culture according to your own value structure. What constitutes garbage? That is wholly dependent upon your own value structure.
Kid Whisperer Nation Tip for Parents #53
YOU AREN’T GOING TO BREAK YOUR KIDS’ PERSONALITIES
The human spirit is strong. Kids’ genetic wiring and the experiences that they have will combine to create a fascinating and individualized personality. Short of serious abuse and neglect, your parenting is not going to crush or hinder your kids’ uniqueness! Setting limits with kids certainly won’t do this. They will become who they are within the limits you set.
Kid Whisperer Nation Tip for Parents #54
STAND FIRM
Cries of “You are the only mom in the world who has rules!” or “All the other parents are letting their kids go to Florida for sex, drugs, and unlimited Kanye music!” are irrelevant noise. What other parents are doing and your kids’ accuracy in reporting on what other parents are doing is irrelevant. Set limits according to your own values and no one else’s.
Kid Whisperer Nation Tip for Parents #55
BE HONEST
When talking with other parents about their parenting experiences, it is a very common practice for parents to lie about their level of parenting success. Making things seem better than they are is a time-honored custom that seems to have gotten worse lately. If you have not already done this, try summoning up the strength to be honest about how hard this parenting thing is. It’s very likely that others will then feel comfortable sharing their struggles in a more honest way.