
Are you
aware of the first Law of Parenthood? It states that nobody really
wants your job, but everybody thinks they can do it better.
I appreciate the honesty of parents who sometimes feel
overwhelmed by the task of parenthood. One man candidly said,
"Before I got married I had three theories on raising children.
Now I have three children and no theories!"
"Quote
Magazine" (September 1, 1985) published ten behaviors children
ages 8 to 14 identified as qualities they wanted in parents. These
young people, from 24 countries, agreed on ten traits they
believed were important for all parents to possess. Here they are:
- They want harmony.
They do not want their parents to have unresolved and
destructive conflict in front of them.
- They want love.
They wish to be treated with the same affection as other
children in the family.
- They want honesty.
And to be told the truth.
- They want
acceptance. They desire mutual tolerance from both parents.
- They want their
parents to like their friends. They want their friends to be
welcomed in the home.
- They want
closeness. They desire comradeship with their parents.
- They want their
parents to pay attention to them and answer their questions.
- They want
consideration from their parents. They do not want to be
embarrassed or punished in front of friends.
- They want positive
support. They wish for their parents to concentrate on their
good points rather than their weaknesses.
- They want
consistency. They desire parents to be constant in their
affections and moods.
It
appears that these children want what all of us want - respect,
consideration and love. In fact, these work well with "children"
of all ages!