10 Tips to Happier Parenting

10 Tips to Happier ParentingnnParenting is the toughest job there is. But it is also themost rewarding. Many parents get mired down in the day-to-day difficulties in raising children and they lose the joy.Being a parent can be the happiest time of your life and thefollowing tips will help you to regain that joy.nn--Sometimes It Can Be So Easy-- 1. Listen. Children have so much to tell us and share withus but sometimes we don't hear them. Their insight is sounique and we all know that kids say the darndest things.Besides, if you don't listen they will stop trying and thinkof all you will miss then. 2. Enjoy them while you can. Your time with your kids is sobrief, make the most of it. Read them bed time stories evenif there is a kitchen to clean, play with them, watch them,listen to them. Always remember they are merely on loan toyou so don't waste a second of it. 3. Record good memories. Take pictures of your childrenwhenever you can. When you are having one of those toughdays when everything seems to be going wrong and you wonderwhy you don't have a dog instead, take out those picturesand remind yourself of how good it can be to be a parent. nn--Sometimes You Need a Plan-- 4. Pick your battles. It is very easy to get caught up inwanting your child to do and be everything you want them to.But in the midst of all these power struggles you lose thejoy to parenting. Pick the things that really matter to youand let the rest go. Life and their childhoods are too shortto waste with all of the conflict. 5. Schedule some down time. Many parents in the quest toexpose their children to as many experiences as possiblemake their lives so hectic no one is happy. The kids aretired, stressed, and over stimulated and the parents arechauffeurs who are stressed, tired and over stimulated. Makesure you have some time every week when nothing is going onto put things back into perspective. 6. Make time for yourself. Kids are sponges who learn byexample. If they live with a parent who never takes time forthemselves and is always living to please everyone else,that is what they will learn. Make a good example and taketime for yourself. 7. Make 'quality time' really quality time. It doesn't countif you take your little ones to the zoo to spend time withthem if you are on the phone constantly. Kids need to knowthey are a priority and you need to stay focused on them toreally get to know them too.nn--A Few Last Thoughts-- 8. Remember that tough times won't last forever. I rememberwhen my kids were newborns and I felt as though I wouldnever again get a full nights sleep, but before I knew itthey were sleeping through the night. Kids grow up so fastthat no phase will ever last forever. There will always be anew and exciting one to take their place. 9. Enjoy each of your children for their own uniquepersonalities. It is very easy to compare your kids andwonder why emotional Rachel can't be more like easy goingMark. Every child has their own set of strengths andweaknesses and once you find these and learn to make themost of them you will be happier because you are no longertrying to shove a round peg into a square hole. 10. And finally, the most important and toughest lesson tohappy parenting. We all make mistakes. Parenting is such aninexact science. There is no book written that iscomprehensive enough to ever fit every situation and everychild. We are all learning as we go and as in all learningsituations we all make mistakes. The important thing is tolearn from these mistakes and not beat ourselves up overthem. Being a parent is such a wonderful job when there isno guilt allowed.nn The tips we have talked about today are actually relevant tomore than just parents. Sometimes grandparents, aunts,uncles, and friends need to be reminded to enjoy thoseimportant people in their lives and not lose sight of whatreally matters.