Keys To Becoming A Great Parent Part 2

In part 1, I covered two keys to becoming a great parent.

Key#1: Don?t Assume That Becoming A Great Parent Is Instinctive

Key#2: Be Willing To Learn From Others Who Have Been There Before You

Now, lets move on to Keys 3 & 4.

Key#3: Be Quick To Admit When You?re Wrong

For some reason, many parents fail here. You must understand that being a parent does not mean you are always right, and that?s ok. Whether its breaking promises, overreacting to their bad behavior, errors in discipline, or something else, we parents mishandle situations with our children all the time. The key is how do we handle it when we mishandle something concerning them. I must admit, I have had to apologize to my 3 1/2 year old son more times than I care to mention because of how I?ve handled things with him. If you will be quick to admit it when you make a mistake with your child, you?ll pave the way for receiving honor and respect from them that you will get no other way. Let?s face it, they know we are not perfect, they just want us to be willing to admit that we know it, too.

I can?t explain how awesome it is to look your child in the eyes and say ?I?m sorry. Daddy blew it big time. Will you forgive me?? In addition, to the fact that it builds a healthy relationship between you and your child, it also serves as a great example to them about resolving issues within relationships.

Let me tell you a story that I think helps prove this point. Our family recently took a vacation to Sea World. Right before we left to come home, we wanted to take a family picture to commemorate our trip. However, for some reason, my toddler didn?t want to cooperate. As a matter of fact, he didn?t just refuse to smile, he threw a temper tantrum as well. He wanted to ride the roller coaster and insisted on getting his way. As a result, we didn?t get our picture, and he didn?t ride the roller coaster. Now, although I talked with him about the situation, he never really apologized for his actions. Then, two days later, after we were home from our trip, he comes over and cuddles with me on the couch. I simply say, ?I love ya, Bub!.? And, he responds with, ?Next time we go to Sea World, Dad, I?ll take that picture.? Of course, that makes me want to hop in the car immediately and drive the 3 1/2 hours to take him to ride that roller coaster. The point is, he sees in his Mom and Dad a pretty good example of someone who makes things right when they mess up. And believe me, we mess up a lot. His statement was his way of making things right.

Key#4: Spend quality time with your children

It is so easy to get caught up in the rat race we call the American Dream. Sure, we want to provide for our children and we want them to have a better life than we did, but when that pursuit requires sacrificing quality time with our children, then we need to reevaluate what we are doing and why we are doing it. Your children need you. They don?t need the next high tech gadget, or the latest trendy clothing, or the newest toy on the market. Oh, sure they may want those things, but the thing they need most is time with you. I have never met a parent who said that they regretted spending time with their children, but I have heard plenty with regrets about not spending quality time with them.

One of the things I remember most about my parents, is the fact that they both spent quality time with their children. They were actively involved in everything we did. They were always on the sidelines at sporting events, they were always in the seats at plays and band concerts, and they were always our biggest fans. Your children grow up fast and the older they get, the less time you get to spend with them. Don?t let the years slip by before you realize you missed so many opportunities to spend time with them. Look for those opportunities, make those opportunities, schedule those opportunities, and seize those opportunities. I guarantee you will not regret one moment of quality time you spend with your children.

Tim Stone is a veteran of youth ministry with over 15 years of experience in that field. He currently serves as youth pastor at Freedom Fellowship Church in Magnolia, TX. He is also the founder of EquippingParents.com, a website designed to inform and equip today's parents. For more tools and resources go to http://www.equippingparents.com