Imagine going to the hospital, and leaving with a small bundle that looks exactly like you? Now you are responsible for caring, loving, nurturing, and protecting the small bundle as it grows, and develops into a toddler, an adolescent, a young adult, and even an adult.
The role of being a parent is never ending. At the end of the day though it is one of the most rewarding, and memorable endeavors in life.
However, I hear this question all the time. The question being asked was, how do I be a perfect parent? Let’s be honest though, there is no right way to be a perfect parent. Yet, there is a way to be a parent of compassion, discipline, understanding, good morals, devotion, and unconditional love and support for our children.
To me that is the definition of being not a perfect parent, but a good parent.
Let’s take a deeper look into the characteristics that make up a good parent.
1. A Parent of Compassion
This is the first quality of a good parent.
This is the type of parent that teaches their children to have empathy and sympathy for their peers. They are also the kind of parent that are willing to discuss their own outbursts and apologize to their children for them. They are also the kind of parents that see the signs of frustration, when their child is having a rough time.
Whether it can be at home or at school, they notice, and they are always there with their arms open wide ready for you to express yourself.
2. A Parent of Discipline
This is the second quality of a good parent. This quality goes hand in hand with compassion. While child will be frustrated like all human beings, their emotions will get the better of them, and this will develop sometimes into a full-blown tantrum.
A parent of discipline never uses anger, or loud voices to get the desired results in their children’s behavior. When I think of a parent of discipline, I am reminded of my mother. She was always firm in her decisions, and her voice was always heard, and listened to because she made it clear to us one very important thing.
You can have emotions, but never take your feelings out on someone else.
3. A Parent of Understanding
This is the third quality in a good parent. The ability of true understanding, and how they use it in being a good parent.
A parent who is understanding, can see things in their children, that the child might not see in themselves. A hidden talent that needs to expose, or a desire that is being put on the back burner, for something that is not beneficial. An understanding parent will take the time to explain that it is okay to express your interest and desires to what it is.
Giving your child the ability to express their view in any activity, whether it can be sports, arts, music, or academic. It will build trust and open up communication between child and parent.
4. A Parent of Good Morals
The fourth quality in a good parent is having a good moral standing.
The ability to know right from wrong, means you can teach your child right from wrong. A good moral code builds character and shows that they also understand cause and effect. Every action leads to either a good or bad result. It is our job as parents to show them the path of a person who is human, yet, has a good moral standing. Also teach them that we all make mistakes, and that sometimes good intentions can be taken the wrong way.
However, we as good parents have to constantly encourage our children to do the right thing no matter what because that is what builds a good moral code.
5. A Parent of Devotion
I think the fifth quality is one that was very evident in my mother. A parent of devotion is exactly what it sounds like. It is a parent that is always there for the little things, that seem so important to a child. My mother was this type of parent, unless there was something that was unavoidable, she was at every school function.
I mean everything from luncheons, award ceremonies, sports banquets, science fairs, art shows, and of course every graduation I knew I could look into the crowd, and my mom smiling, and cheering for me. This type of devotion shows the child that you are thinking of them, and that you are proud of their hard work, dedication, and the overall achievement they receive when they put their all into something.
This will show your child that they are important to you.
6. A Parent of Unconditional Love and Support
This is the quality that sums up all the others. To me this is the most important quality to have as a parent because it is the most meaningful.
All a child really wants is to be able to talk to their parents about their interests, love life, school life, and social life all without being judge by their parents.
A child wants to know that when they mess up, as children are prone to do, that their parents will love them no matter what. This is what a good parent truly does. They give this knowing it will help their children when they become parents as well.
Being a good parent is not an easy task. They will be days that you want to rip your hair out by the roots, and days when your children’s emotions run rampant, and you are left to deal with the tidal wave.
I have admit you will lose your temper, and seem like a bad guy, but at the end of the day if you and your child can come together at the end of the day, and show love and understanding then you have accomplished a feat of your own. Not of being a perfect parent, but of being a good parent.
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About the author:
Chloe Turner is a preschool teacher who loves working with children and writing for and about them. Her right-brain creativity lets she writes stories that engage children and spark their interest in learning. Her left-brain cognitive skills make her a ninja level researcher.