Who IS Raising Your Kids?

Who IS Raising Your Kids?

by Susie E. Caron  © 9/12/15

Do you find parenting frustrating? 
There could be several reasons. Today I write about how outside sources like government, education and even technology are influencing how kids are raised, and in the process you are being left with fewer and fewer choices. Then, I will offer a clear solution. 


Government & Educational Involvement
Government and educational institutions are more involved in ‘child rearing’ today than ever before. They map out a lot of what parents must do with children to feed, house, and keep them safe, from conception to adulthood. Some of it is helpful of course.  However, many of the ‘rules’ have taken away your ability to choose what you want to do for your kids. For example, it used to be easy to send your children to the local school. Recently, due to rising costs, smaller schools are being closed and even very tiny children must take buses to schools miles from their homes. In these instances parents don’t have a choice. 

Parenting Confusion
Parenting information is flying at you in rules, laws, and practices from government, education, society, and electronics (tv, games, music, tablets, etc.). Some parents shy away from disciplining their kids for fear of misinterpretation and false reports by neighbors and schools.  Kids hear a lot about ‘child abuse’ and they use this to threaten parents to get to do what they want. Most parents are unsure about what to teach their children about God or loyalty to family and country.  Many parents don’t feel safe to read to their children from books that are now considered ‘not politically correct’, even if they contain important social, emotional or moral lessons.

The Insertion of Electronics
That’s not all that’s influencing your children. Have you noticed the allure of electronics advertisements that claim to make your kids ‘smarter.’  Every parent wants their kids to be really intelligent and successful. But electronics are also raising your kids. The electronics explosion is growing so fast, parents cannot keep up to try to figure out what to let their kids use, and dangers are lurking. The result of all this is a huge reduction in parent’s ability to choose what their children see, hear and do.

What Can Parents Do?
Do you feel ‘frozen’ and afraid to follow your conscience as you parent your kids? Do you wonder, How can I possibly know how to properly parent my kids, with the many demands of government, schools and even technology?  You cannot easily or quickly change all the things I just mentioned. However, I am ready to tell you, there is something you can do. You can, and must begin today to “Focus on what you CAN control”: Your moments with each child.

The Moment to Moment Interaction Between Parent & Child
You cannot control what is coming at you and your children from the outside. You are only one person and unless you get involved in lobbying or run for office, or boards of education, or hide in cave, away from electronics, you cannot effectively change the things that interfere with your right and ability to parent. The only thing you can control, and the only thing that really matters now and in the future is your moment to moment interaction with your kids.

"Effective parenting really only occurs in the moment to moment engagement between parent and child." 

What Counts the Most?
So, if you want to have the greatest personal impact on your children, this is what counts the most. However, parent and child interactions become less powerful as children age. They are  the least influential ages 12 & up; with more impact during ages 6-12, and with the most intense impact in the years 0-5. However, no matter what the age of the child, a parent who understands the value of a parent & child moment, can help that child/teen/adult continue to grow. That’s why it’s so important that parents focus more on their children in the moment to moment times they are together.

You are raising the world’s next society. I write blogs, podcasts and books because is critical for you to you know how important you are and that you can effectively impact your children’s thoughts, feelings and actions.

How Can I Help You?
I am currently writing a parenting book to help you focus on those moments between you and your child. I want to help you make those moments richer in relationship, to benefit you both so you can be a more confident and effective parent, and have more fun with your kids while you do it.

Sign Up
I invite you to sign up on this web site, so that you will be among the first to hear more about my upcoming book. I will be producing podcasts for parents right about the same time too. When you do, you become a member of my Parent Tribe and that gives you opportunity to preview some of my work, help me select from book covers and other things. I will also make sure that you receive freebies that I may want to include in my book and ask you to give me feedback before my book is released. How does all that sound?

I would love to see your name on this list and in my new Parent Tribe.

Remember,
Twee' Means You & Me
and Together We Can Raise Great Kids.
Susie

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