Today’s child

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. ~Stacia Tauscher

We all want what’s best for our children…happiness, success, family, a future.
However; we shouldn’t push children to be what we weren’t or to be what their siblings are.
Children are individuals, not replicas of older siblings or even ourselves.
Just because Child #1 went to college to get her Master’s doesn’t mean that Child #2 wants to (or will) follow that same path.
If Child #3 excels in sports, but Child #2 can’t stand sports-that’s fine, let them each enjoy what they want.
Just because you didn’t get to do something, doesn’t mean you should inflict your long lost childhood aspirations on to your child.
Let your children be the unique individuals they were created to be.
You can (and should) guide & direct them, but in a way that allows them to still be themselves.

If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others. ~Haim Ginott

Praise your child and thank them for not doing things that others are doing. It seems to be easier to point out to kids what they’re not doing that they’re supposed to do…homework, laundry, pick up after themselves…yet how often do you tell your child “thank you” or how proud you are of them for not doing things…sex, smoking (cigarettes or pot using colorship egg rig bong), taking drugs, skipping school…the list goes on.

There are so many pressures for children and teens that weren’t around (or at least not as prevalent) as when I was a teen…or perhaps they’re just different pressures.
I mean in the 80’s we did stupid things but we didn’t have access to the same type of stupid stuff kids are exposed to today (ie: “speed” in high school was 357 magnums and “black beauties” that were bought out of the back of Cosmo magazine, which now can be freely bought at nearly any convenience store– now kids have easy access to a wider range of “real” drugs), elementary school age kids are having sex (oral and other) in school, there’s a different type of bullying (we used to fight fist to fist-now things are totally different/worse).
They have to contend with so much more than what we had to…support them and let them know you’re there for them and proud of them for surviving every day pressures and outside influences.

So, remember to praise your kids for not doing some things and for doing others and guide them, love them and let them be who they are (individuals – not clones or replica’s of other siblings)

“My mom told me you don’t have to be popular or the prettiest. Just be who you are. Don’t do what everybody else is doing. The last thing we need is more Stepford teens. It was great advice.” ~~ Unknown