Parenting

parenting - The rearing of a child or children, especially the care, love, and guidance given by a parent.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

I don’t need to take a class to be a parent!

How one Alaskan mom changed her mind about parenting.

By the time I got around to taking a parenting class, I was firmly embedded in the trenches of parenting. With 5 children, ages 7-15 I was pretty sure I new the ropes.

Well, I did - my ropes, my kids ropes. I was doing okay. Certainly I didn’t need someone else to tell me how to be a parent. But, since one of my good friends asked me to go with her, I agreed, feeling a bit smugly that I would be a voice of experience and insight for the class.

I didn't expect the class to have the impact it did. It was called “How to be a Love and Logic Parent.” During the very first class, I did have my chance to share my experiences, and some of the methods I used when interacting with my children were reinforced. However, I also learned some new ways to approach my kids, especially when they presented me with a problem - and I LIKED these new ideas.

I learned how my kids could take ownership of their problems, and find solutions. I also learned some practically foolproof approaches to giving my kids natural consequences that were far more effective than any “grounding” or “no tv for a week” consequences I had been using.

I think taking a parenting class is a great idea for anyone, because even if you think you’re doing pretty well, it gives you some fresh ideas and reenergizes you.

LMA, Anchorage