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#Parenting #Parents #ParentsBeLike #BringingupChildren #Children #SaturdayMusings #SaturdayThoughts - This is a reproduction of an old note - details given in the last tweet of this thread.
The Rev. C. Galea in USA, was assigned to the Guelph correction Centre for his summer work. While there, he developed an excellent rapport with many young law breakers.
He asked the boys for clues as to why THEY had ended up in that institution. Hen then asked them to draw up a code for parents to follow, zeroing in on specific areas where THEY had failed. Here is what emerged :
1. Keep cool. Do not fly off the handle. Keep the lid on when things go wrong. Kids need to see how much better things turn out when people keep their tempers under control.
2. Do not get strung out from booze or too many pills. When we see our parents reaching for those crutches, we get the idea that it is perfectly OK to reach for a bottle or a pill when things get heavy. Children are careful observers and great imitators.
3. Bug us a little. Be strict. Show us who is the boss. We need to know we have got some strong supports under us. When you cave in, we get scared.
4. Do not blow your class. Stay on that pedestal. Do not try to dress, dance or talk like your kids. You embarrass us and you look ridiculous.
5. Light a candle. Show us the way. Tell us God is not dead or sleeping or on a vacation. We need to believe in something bigger and stronger than ourselves.
6. Scare the hell out of us. If you catch us lying, stealing or being cruel, get touch. Let us know WHY what we did was wrong. Impress on us the importance of not repeating such behaviour.
7. When we need punishment, dish it out. But let us know you still love us, even though we have let you down. It will make us think twice before we make that same move again.
8. Call our bluff. Make it clear you mean what you say. Do not compromise. Do not cave in. And do not be intimidated by our threats to drop out of school or leave home. Stand up to us and we will respect you. Kids do not want everything they ask for.
9. Be honest. Tell us the truth no matter what. And be straight-arrow about everything. We can take it. Lukewarm answers make us uneasy. We can smell uncertainty a mile away. The bottom line is that we want you to tell it like it is.
10. Praise us when we deserve it. If you give us a few compliments once in a while, we will be able to accept criticism a lot easier.
Source : Ann Landers Column, The Dallas Morning News, Wednesday Sept. 29 1999 - This is a reprint of article dated April 1985
Source : Ann Landers Column, The Dallas Morning News, Wednesday Sept. 29 1999 - This is a reprint of article dated April 1985
