What is parenting?

Parenting or child-rearing is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, financial, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. Parenting refers to the aspects of raising a child aside from the biological relationship.

Often times, people assume that parenting is something that should just come naturally. After all, having children generally does. The fact is that having children and understanding parenting are two entirely separate issues. In some cases, therapy for parents may be the best decision a parent can make. Parenting therapy covers a multitude of issues ranging from post-partum depression to abuse prevention.

Enforce rules that apply to every person leading a happy and productive life — not model rules of your ideal person. It's important to set rules and guidelines that help your child develop and grow without being so strict that your child feels like he can't take a step without doing something wrong. Ideally, your child should love you more than he fears your rules. Make your rules clearly. Children should be very familiar with the consequences of their actions. If you give them a punishment, be sure they understand the reason and the fault; if you cannot articulate the reason and how they are at fault, the punishment will not have the discouraging effects you desire. Make sure that you not only set reasonable rules but that you enforce them reasonably. Avoid overly harsh forms of punishment, ridiculously stringent punishments for minor infractions, or anything that involves physically hurting your child.

If your rules vary from day to day in an unpredictable manner or if you enforce them only intermittently, your child's misbehaviour will be your fault, not his. Your most important disciplinary tool is consistency. Identify you're non-negotiable. The more your authority is based on wisdom and not on power, the less your child will challenge it."

It is especially important that parents give children a good start, but it's also important for parents to recognize that kids come into the world with their own temperaments, and it is the parents' job to provide an interface with the world that eventually prepares a child for complete independence.