by Andrea Montack

Created on: May 11, 2009   Last Updated: July 23, 2009

"Human beings are the only creatures on earth that allow their children to come back home". This quote by Bill Cosby sums up the difference between humans and animals as it relates to parenting. There are no handbooks or on-line course to help us be better parents. It is a matter of trial and error, or repeating the same mistakes our parents made with us, hoping that the results are different.

The animal kingdom can teach us a lot about parenting. Their kids never talk back, throw tantrums or get hooked on drugs. This only confirms that the animals could be doing something right.

The eagle and vultures care for their young longer than most other birds. They tear the food into small pieces and feed it to the young ones, and the mother eagle will teach the young eagles to fly, always staying close ensuring that they are okay. However, when the mother thinks the time has come for the young eagle to leave the nest, they stir the nest up making it uncomfortable. One of the mistakes we make as parents is to not prepare our kids for the world outside our homes. We create a false sense of comfort in the home not providing them with the skills required to make decisions or to choose the correct path. Some have even returned home not because they had to, but because they chose not to handle the pressures they face outside of the home.

We smother our kids by not allowing them to take responsibility for things in the home, even when they become adults. Everything is done for them and we make the home so comfortable that they have no desire to leave. Like the eagle, we need to stay close to our kids and nurture them until we are sure that they can manage on their own, and then give them a gentle nudge to leave the home.

A common trend in nature is for the mothers to be the nurturers, hunters and providers for the family. Birds and fishes are the exceptions. The role of the male of the specie is more than procreation, but as the providers for their family. Humans are choosing to imitate the bad traits in nature. There are many families that are suffering from this imbalance in the parenting role. Men are creating kids, but are not staying around to provide for them. The result of this trend is wreaking havoc on our society. The rearing of our young men is being left up to mothers and grandmothers, who are unable to teach them how to be a man.

The best example of parenting can be found in the Red Fox. His role is not only to provide for the young, but he is integrally involved in teaching them survival skills. The young are born with their eyes closed and is cared for by the mother until their eyes are open. While the mother is caring for the young, the male goes out to hunt. After the eyes of the young are open, the male will share in the care of the young, allowing the mothers to hunt. The male red fox are usually monogamous and is described as patient and playful parents.

There are so many lessons that humans can learn from these small animals. Being monogamous, this would prevent the breakup of so many families. Children would grow up in stable homes, and this would really have a positive effect on our society. The care of the young is shared by both mother and father, and the children would have a clear sense of the role of each parent in the home. There are many different parenting styles in nature, and it would serve us well to imitate the good traits.

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