| Parenting is one of the most difficult things you can | | | | Another vital aspect of caring for your child is |
| do, and it is a highly pressurized, one chance only | | | | effective discipline. The days of discipline equating to |
| environment where mistakes can have drastic | | | | vicious beatings are thankfully coming to an end. |
| consequences. As a parent, it is your responsibility to | | | | There are many alternative forms of discipline that |
| guide your child through his physical and mental | | | | don't involve violence, or that involve mild violence as |
| development, whilst encouraging a sense of morality, | | | | a deterrent rather than beatings with a cane or belt. |
| justice and decency. At the same time you need to | | | | One of the most effective ways by far is the token |
| devote a tremendous degree of care and attention | | | | economy, that is to say, for example, withholding |
| to your child to avoid compromising his safety and | | | | toys as a punishment for bad behavior. This acts as |
| security. Parenting can be a difficult juggle-act to | | | | a strong off-putting factor for the child, and is a |
| maintain, particularly if you also work and have other | | | | great way of ensuring discipline. Provided you act |
| commitments. | | | | consistently and always follow through your threats, |
| One of the most important aspect of parenting is | | | | you're child will do all in his power to avoid this drastic |
| spending the right amount of time with your child. It | | | | measure. This is clearly a more beneficial option than |
| is important not to entirely isolate your child, but it is | | | | physical abuse, which teaches the child that violence |
| also important not to follow them every moment of | | | | is a good approach to solving problems. |
| the day. They need to develop a sense of | | | | There are seldom any right and wrong answers in |
| independent thought as well as social skills in equal | | | | parenting, and it is really a case of instinct and logic |
| measure to survive in the real world. Encourage your | | | | when thinking about what's best for the child. In any |
| child to think through problems at an early age, and | | | | event, this should be the central concern, and should |
| ask them to think about situations that have | | | | be the starting point for all parenting ideas and |
| occurred. This will help create an understanding and | | | | concepts, to ensure a healthy and happy child |
| perception of the world from an early age which will | | | | through their teenage years to adulthood. |
| only grow and develop with your child. | | | | |