I hope this list of tips will be helpful! Feel free to share it with others!

1. Pray for your child(ren)

• For health, safety, and age-appropriate physical, academic, spiritual, and emotional growth

• Good relationships (teachers, classmates, friends, neighbors, other adults, etc.)

• Personal encounter with God

2. Positive Parenting

• Focus on the child’s strengths

• Areas of improvement (weaknesses) must be addressed but should not become the main focus; address enough to make sure weaknesses do not become hindrances in learning and/or developing relationships

• Be firm but not punitive or overly critical

• Don’t over reward or compensate your “guilt” with undeserving gifts

3. Prevent Tantrums or Emotional Outbursts

• Prevent problems by proactively communicating expectations and consequences

• Do not “baby” the child--be firm yet kind

• Crying and emotional outbursts are ways that children use to get what they want

• Do plan for “down-time”: allow the child to unwind, relax, and recharge

• Check your (parent’s) emotional state before disciplining

4. Parents Need to be Healthy, too!

• Stress can make parenting difficult--your own well-being is critical to positive parenting

• Communication between the dad and mom are very, very important

• Seek help and take advantage of available resources (grandparents, relatives, church groups, paid activities such as martial arts or gymnastics, etc.)

• Do not be a family that does everything around the child’s need: be sure to have “parent” or “me” or “family” time so that you can be a healthy parent

5. Peace at Home

• Home should be a haven for young children (and adults!)

• Cut out needless battles (reflect on what’s working and what’s not working at home)

• Learn from past confrontations: figure out what your child responds to (or don’t respond well to)

• Don’t be too busy, running from one activity to another

6. Plan for Success

• Read good parenting books

• Integrate useful tips and advice

• Prepare for parenting success--don’t try to “wing it”

• Learn from past “failures” and “successes”

7. Perspective on Parenting

• A long-term perspective is needed--do not dwell too much on momentary crisis

• Step back often and see things from God’s perspective

• Treat your child as if he/she were your nephew/niece--that will make things simpler, manageable, and less stressful

8. Punishment or Discipline?

• What is the difference between punishment and discipline?

• Outward change vs. Inward Change

• Momentary avoidance of pain vs. long-term self-regulation

9. Pride vs. “Proud of”

• Sometimes, parents try too hard to showcase their child as a perfect being, but what is the motivation behind it?

• Parents derive vicarious satisfaction through the praises their children receive

• Be proud of the child, but check your pride to appear as a perfect parent

10. Pay Attention to Your Child

• Some parents are too busy

• Pay close attention to your child’s innate tendencies or characters

• Probe into your child’s life and mind--ask smart questions that require more than just “Yes,” or “No”

• Learn their love language (see:https://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/children/)

11. Pops Need to Step Up

• Dads need to “step up” and “step in”, not “step aside”

• As children become more opinionated and even confrontational, dads have the unique role to be the “referee” at home

• Moms need to gradually step aside and invite dads to take the helm

12. Plain and Simple Answers

• Do not over-explain your decisions to children: sometimes, “Because I said so,” is a perfectly fine answer

• There are certain questions that require explanations, but keep in mind that you are not obligated to explain or get “approval” from your child(ren)

13. Peer Relations

• Encourage your children to make/maintain friends

• Don’t overly force them to have friends if your child is an introvert--but everyone needs friends

• Friends change, so don’t manipulate friendships to last long (or short)

14. Passion and Compassion

• Find out what your child is passionate about

• Equally important to one’s passion is developing a sense of compassion toward others and humanity in general

• Provide opportunities for children to have “awe-filled” experiences

15. Patience for Sassiness

• What happened to my angel? Why is she so sassy?

• Why are boys showing anger and frustration, and even defiance?

• Don’t blame friends or school or surroundings too quickly--your child is changing and growing up

• Don’t lose your cool--be the adult in the room/situation