About the Author
Laurie Meade
Laurie Meade, Laurie's Legends Article Marketing Distribution Service
Stay A.C.T.I.V.E. in your child's life. This is an acronym that describes 6 important traits to remember to use daily in your parenting. Go to school functions, listen to your child's stories and conversations. Be sure and stay A.C.T.I.V.E.
Here is what each of the letters in the acronym A.C.T.I.V.E. mean:
A. Acceptance-- Accept what you can and know how to choose the battles you get into with your children. By battle, I am referring to power struggles. If you have been a parent for very long, you know what a power struggle between a parent and child feels like. Power struggles can be reduced, when you realize that you don't always have to win. Some issues are okay to let your child feel like he has won the struggle.
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C. Caring and Consistency--If there were only one piece of advice you could receive as a new parent it would be "Try and stay as consistent as possible in your discipline and daily routine." This is easier said than done. Staying consistent with discipline is one of the hardest things a parent will have to do. In my personal humble opinion, it is one of the most important too. Putting structure and consistency into your child's life with a daily routine they can expect, is one of the most caring things you can do.
T. Training--you may have heard it before, but it takes more than conception and pregnancy to make a real mother and father. Beyond the prenatal and birthing classes, it is important to continue throughout your child's life to take parenting classes. Attending classes during different stages of their development, you will not only focus on what is important during these stages, you will also meet and share experiences with other parents who are going through the same issues. These connections and friendships that develop will be a great resource of support and strength during the rough times.
I. Instinct and Intuition-- Trusting your gut feelings, also known as "mother's intuition" has saved many a child from harm and going astray. Don't ignore those feelings, and act on them, even if they are against some advice you might have heard.
V. Variety and Variation-- Use variety in responding to your child. Example.--Come up with creative alternatives to using the word, "No." Paraphrase your child's feelings by prefacing a comment with the following phrases:
--Sounds like you feel,
--What I hear you saying is,
--If I felt the way you did, this is,
E. Enjoyment and Empathy-- Remember your children are young for such a short time, it goes by way to quickly. Remember to enjoy the little things, like laughing and writing down, "the cute things they say" and "questions they ask."
Make sure and take lots of pictures. Make time to have fun with them, just spending time, not necessarily money.
When you schedule a time with them, make it an unstructured, casual event, where you are not pressured to be certain places at certain times. Sometimes the most remembered memory can be a story read, a walk taken together or a special conversation.
Remember; when your child is exhibiting their worst behavior is when they need your love and understanding the most. Sometimes all it takes is an empathetic response, as mentioned above, to defuse an emotional blowup.
So remember this acronym. Stay A.C.T.I.V.E. in your child's life. Acceptance, Consistency and Caring, Training, Intuition and Instinct, and Enjoyment and Empathy. You will be well on your way to being the loving parent they will highly admire.
Published by Laurie Meade on October 16, 2005 05:13 PM
