Raising children is one of the most wonderful things we can do.
We all might take a different approach to effective parenting but our goals are similar to raise healthy, optimistic, resilient children who are ready, willing and able to take on the world.
As parents, we’re often searching for magic answers but unfortunately, we all too often come to realize that there’s no simple ‘one size fits all’ approach that experts can wholeheartedly recommend. It’s a trial and error journey that requires us to work hard and remain positive in teaching and guiding our children.
As the experts from the Psychology Foundation suggest, parents need to build a solid foundation and take care of the basics—helping children feel connected, providing a stable and happy home environment, modeling effective stress management, and offering comfort when it’s needed. Discipline is important too, but as those in the know remind us, you have to build a relationship of love and
trust first.
Supportive relationships contribute to resiliency throughout life. So let’s look in this issue at how you can bond, while developing important skills, through music (see page 10, Summer/Fall 2016). Or, you might want to consider adopting a family pet (see page 18, Summer/Fall 2016). Being a positive role model is important, but fostering relationships through such shared experiences creates memories and habits that will last a lifetime.
Caroline Tapp-McDougall, Editor
