The Complex Simplicity of Raising Your Child

No matter where they live every parent will agree with one simple fact: raising a child is hard work. Sure, there is nothing more rewarding then watching a child grow up and reach their potential, but man, if it isn’t hard work to get to that point. And if you think that your parenting duties end when they turn 18 let’s be serious: no parent is going to stop caring about their kid once they get into college. Nope, your in it for the long haul, and while family help books can be there to give you some guidance, for the most part you have to use your own love and common sense to raise your child the best way you can.

Your main goal, as a parent, is to teach your child. Since kids will begin learning at a very early age (you’d be surprised what they can pick up even right out of the womb), most parents will agree that it is important to begin to teach your children basic values and family structure at a very early age. Sure, no child needs to know the deep interworks of relationships before they learn to spell, but like it or not, a child is going to begin to form his or her basic ideas of right and wrong much earlier than you think. Teaching your kids basic right and wrong is not one of those things you do in one sit down conversation. Think about when you were a child. Did you learn all about the idea of right and wrong at one time? Chances are, while specific events helped you find your way, the basic ideas of right and wrong were instead slowly learned through the years.

I know it sounds complex, but don’t worry, in a way it’s not. There is no need to panic and think “Oh my gosh, how the heck am I going to teach my kid these life altering lessons?!?” Teaching these lessons are much easier than you would think. First, take a look at yourself. Since most kids are going to learn lessons from you gradually ask yourself this: how well do you grasp the idea of wrong versus right? Do you think of yourself as a good person who you would want your child to look up to? Like it or not, your child is going to emulate you. For the formative years you are your child’s role model and they want nothing more than to be like mommy and daddy.

These are just a few things to sit back and think about. Strangely parenting can be both harder than you think, yet more basic then you could ever imagine. The best policy is to follow your gut. Chances are you know a lot more then you might think you know on how to raise a child. Never hesitate to learn more through the use of family help books as well.