Being a good parent isn’t for the faint of heart. It’ll test your wisdom, challenge your stamina, and defy your patience. But even though you’re not paid to be on your toes 24/7, it’s the most rewarding job in the world. Are you helping or hurting your kids?

As parents, we want the very best for our kids: to lead happy, healthy, and productive lives. We want our kids to live up to their potential, to grow up to be decent human beings, and to contribute back to society. But, although these goals are very admirable, getting across the finish line isn’t always easy.

Even though there’s always been a debate between nurture and nature, the fact remains that bringing a child into this world will always be an incredible responsibility.

Our future is dependent on our kids.
And the future of your children is dependent on you.

Are You Helping or Hurting Your Kids?

The truth of the matter is that parents aren’t perfect — regardless of what some may say. Here are 25 ways to screw up your kids:

1. Undervalue education.
2. Make everything about money.
3. Rarely discipline.
4. Be unavailable.
5. Teach them to hate.
6. Belittle hard work.
7. Never say “no.”
8. Allow them to shrug off responsibility.
9. Fight their battles for them.
10. Buy their love.
11. Overlook bad behavior.
12. Make them dependent.
13. Tolerate mediocrity.
14. Push them too hard.
15. Fail to set limits.
16. Take your problems out on them.
17. Give them everything they want.
18. Place conditions on your love.
19. Allow them to disrespect others.
20. Strip them of their confidence.
21. Fail to impart good values.
22. Teach them to be selfish.
23. Make life too easy for them.
24. Serve as a poor role model.
25. Abandon parental responsibility.

Give Your Kids the Greatest Gift

There is a common thread among the 25 items listed above.

If you want your kids to be happy, successful, and well-adjusted adults, it requires your time, your dedication, and your love (with a touch of luck). Being a good parent is hard work. If you don’t make the effort to nurture your kids, don’t expect it to happen magically.

Having kids is not the same as being a parent.

If you want your kids to possess strong moral character, it’s critical to live your life that way. While you can lecture them until you’re blue in the face, the best way to teach your children to be honorable is to lead by example. Period!

Watch your children grow and they will teach you what you’ve taught them.

If you want your kids to be confident, learn important life skills, and have a strong self-image, don’t overprotect them or make their life unrealistically easy. While it’s tough to say “no” or to sit on the sidelines in the face of adversity, prepare them for the real world by teaching them to become self-reliant. That means promoting the value of hard work, making good choices, and insisting that they accept responsibility for their actions. Therefore, if you want to give your kids the greatest gift of all, give them a good education, instill good values, inspire them, and set them free. Behind every good kid are parents or caregivers who understand the importance of raising them that way.

What’s Your Secret for Raising Good Kids?

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Additional Reading:
Parenthood Isn’t Child’s Play
Are You Preparing Your Kids for the Real World?
Parenting: How to Raise Happy and Productive Children
My Kid the Superstar
Do You Lead By Example?

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