Ten Things I Know About Parenting

Over the years there have been a few nuggets of wisdom that have pounded their way into my head. Not many, but some. Here are ten I'd like to share:

1. Parenting is as much about becoming a better person as it is about raising children.
2. Making your child happy today is not the same as providing her with the tools to be happy as an adult.
3. If it’s not likely to require a trip to the ER, won’t harm others, doesn’t generate a tabloid headline, and won’t take more than 10 minutes to clean up, say yes.
4. A lot depends on how Mom reacts.
5. It’s better to teach your child how to recover from mistakes than to hope he never makes any.
6. Setting proper expectations – of the day, of entitlements, of life -- saves a ton of time and grief.
7. The less you say, the more calmly you’ll say it.
8. When a parenting approach isn’t working, doing more of it more intensely won’t help.   
9. If your life depended on being patient for five more minutes, you could do it.
10. Never assume your child knows your values unless you live them out thoroughly.