Bill Cirone: Resolutions for Parents for the New Year

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/1226_bill_cirone_resolutions_for_parents_for_the_new_year/

By Bill Cirone

Heeding these words of advice can help us focus our efforts in the right direction.

This is the traditional time for making resolutions. The most important ones are worth stating so that we can focus our efforts in the right direction.

Family Circle Magazine once printed some very good resolutions for parents. They bear repeating because they are important for all parents to keep in mind throughout the year:

» I will always love my children for who they are — not who I want them to be. It’s an important distinction.

» I will give my child space to grow, to dream, to succeed and even to fail. Without that space, no growth can occur.

» I will create a loving home environment, regardless of what effort it takes at a given time.

» When discipline is necessary, I will let my child know that I disapprove of what he or she does, not who he or she is. Again, it’s a very important distinction.

» I will set limits and help my children find security in the knowledge of what is expected of them. They will not have to guess what is right or wrong.

» I will make time for all my children and cherish our moments together.

» I will not burden my children with emotions and problems they are not equipped to deal with.

» I will encourage my children to experience the world and all its possibilities, taking pains to leave them careful but not fearful.

» I will try to be the kind of person I want my children to be: loving, fair-minded, giving and hopeful.

It’s a tall order, but these resolutions are all worth the effort. When carried out, they can make a real difference for all our children.

Bill Cirone is Santa Barbara County’s superintendent of schools.

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/1226_bill_cirone_resolutions_for_parents_for_the_new_year/