The Three B’s of Parenting

Parenting is not an easy job, but you and your child can survive with three rules every parent should follow. I call them the 3 Be’s.

Be positive:

One of the first rules of parenting is to be positive. A child learns 99% of their behavior from his or her parent whether negative or positive and your job is to show a positive attitude at all times. Be a positive force in your child’s upbringing and you’ll reap the reward of a positive adult. A positive parent is the ‘Be All You Can Be’ parent.

Be proactive:

The second rule of a well-oiled home is a parent must be proactive. Your child will learn from their mistakes, but only if you are a proactive parent. Your job is to teach them right from wrong and good from evil. Being a proactive parent is setting the stage for your child’s adult life. Be a proactive force in your child’s daily life and you’ll see the difference a day makes. A proactive parent is the ‘Be There, Be Aware’ parent.

Be parental:

The third rule is the only rule a lot of parent’s find the most difficult. Why? Parent’s in general tend to want to be their child’s friend instead of their foe. Unfortunately, a parent cannot have the luxury of being their child’s bff.

As a parent your duty is to enforce the rules, not allow your child to break them. Being your child’s parent is what they want and need. They may hate you today, but tomorrow your adult child will thank you for being a parent not a bff. A parental parent is the ‘Be A Parent, Not BFF’ parent.

If you take the 3 B’s and incorporate them into your everyday parenting, you will see a difference in your child. You have to remember, you are their parent not their best friend. You or your child can’t have it both ways. You are the rule setter, your child is the rule breaker. If you establish the three B’s once your child is old enough to understand the ground work will be formed without any misunderstandings.