Listen.

[mol]

Just a quick note. Listen to your kids. They have a lot more to say than you think. I am learning more of that each day.

Anyway, something told me to let everyone know..

[Mariposa De La Luna]

Always a good thing to let people know. Sometimes life gets so hectic we forget.

[mol]

I know...all to well.

[chaos]

as do i. thx for the reminder.

[Kaylara]

It is more important than one thinks to listen to your children. Even if the subject seems juvinile, even the act of listening shows that you care. Another thing to remember is not to critcize them too much. There is a point when the child will start looking down on themselves because they do not think that they live up your expectations of them. Stress the importance of personal responsibility, but, don't be too hard on them. Sometimes this is a hard thing, I know all too well (even without having children) the stress that parents go through. In the case of the children who are closest to me (my two little brothers) I can see where my parents are making mistakes, but when I mention these things, they dismiss them, and say that I am a child too, and know nothing about raising children. But, I share a much closer relationship with both of my brothers than my parents do. My 11 yr old brother feels like no one (his parents) listens to him, that when he does something good it is ignored, and when he does something bad, he is severly punished for it. (Example: He got $5.00 for getting an A on his report card, but was told in the same sentence that congradulated his achievement that if his grades slipped, he would be grounded for an entire marking period.)
My best advice for parents is to listen to your children, and be consistant with them. Set an example for your children, (don't say "do as I say, not as I do. That shows that you cannot live by your own rules, and makes you look like a hypocrite.) and be a good role model for them. That is the greatest gift you can give your children.
Show them that you live by your ethics. This is not something that I had the luxury of doing, and had to figure things out on my own. I'll tell you, its a lot harder when your parents do not set an example that you think is appropriate. When your father is an alcoholic and a drug addict, and your mother doesn't take care of her children and expects you to, you come up with the conclusion: "There is no way in Hades I am going to be like them!!!!!!"

Kaylara

[Semele]

"There is no way in Hades I am going to be like them!!!!!!"

Kaylara [/B][/QUOTE]

And whether we like to admit it or not we are a lot like our parents. How could we not be? Hopefully though we are able to gain their most positive attributes and leave behind the negative ones!

Semele

[Faery-Wings]

I was looking through some old posts and came across this one. Great advice and I know sometimes I really forget to do this~ just listen.


:)

[MidnightSun]

I agree completely. Being as how I am a kid myself, or would be considered one, I hate it when my parents just won't listen. It's frustrating..and has been since we were like 6 years old *sigh* Gotta love old memories :rolleyes:

[MzNeko]

Something that seems really weird to me, but I see it over and over...

Every person that is now an adult was once a kid.

Why is it that so very many of them seem to have completely forgotten what it was like to be a kid?!?

[Danustouch]

I find kids sense of humor to be worth listening to.

One day, my neighbor and I took her two children for a walk to the park. (Seth is 5, baby is 1 1/2) Along the way, Seth kept pointing to houses and saying "I like THAT house". Most of the houses he was pointing to , were one level ranch style homes. Quite plain. He asked which house I liked, And I pointed to a couple really beautiful victorian houses, with gorgeous gardens on the same street. He stops for a momen, looking pensive. I turn around and say "What's wrong, Seth?". He turns to me, and says..."The houses I like...suck".

I had to turn away to keep him from seeing me chuckle. Then turned back to him and said. "Neah..a house isn't what's on the outside, it's who lives in them that make them cool.".

He looks up to me, and says "Yeah..but...I think a Garbage Man, or a Bum lives in the houses I like.".

That time, I couldn't conceal my laughter.

I said.."What's so bad about a Garbage man?". He says..."They're dirty" and I said...."Oh.....so you wouldn't wanna be a garbage man when you grow up?". he says..."No. I'll bet they were very bad boys in school..".

Kids...gotta love their way of viewing life.

[reanna]

I truly agree Danus! Kids say the darndest things sometimes.

The other truly cool thing about having or hanging out around kids....you stay one longer yourself and you get to see the world through the magic of a child's eyes. They find true wonderment at all things....especially the small ones which we usually find quite inconsequential or we take for granted!

Nope...not me....I will never grow up fully!

Chimes in with....
I don't wanna grow up...
I'm a toy r us kid.....
lalalalalalalalalala

huggies


reanna banana

[)O( ~ Khara~ )O(]

I'm the meanest Mommy in the WORLD!!!:meanface:

I'm the meanest Mommy in the WORLD!!!:meanface:

I'm the meanest Mommy in the WORLD!!!:meanface:

I'm the meanest Mommy in the WORLD!!!:meanface:


Hey I listened :bigredgri:

In ALL seriousness very good advice thanks for caring!!! Just proves you're a softy!!

[Mocari]

I was really really REALLY hoping for something like this!!
I'll let my parents read it, maybe they'll listen to me now
:p
Thanks Mol for the thread!!!!

kisses kisses kisses!!!

[Yvonne Belisle]

I think this is something that no matter how old or young you are sometimes you just need a reminder. How often even as older siblings have people brushed off the younger ones. It's sad because sometimes the magic is just a thought away and the thought is thiers.