by Melody Hearndon

Created on: October 15, 2009

As parents our goal in raising our children is to turn them loose as responsible adults that are able to be self reliant and independent of us...their parents. How this occurs is a phenomenon in and of itself as there is no such thing as a perfect parent. We are imperfect human beings trying to present to the world...a perfectly raised child/adult.

Have you ever heard someone say in conversation "Well, I turned out all right"? Perhaps you've spoken the same words or at least had the same thoughts? With that said what does that truly mean? You turned out all right as opposed to what...a serial killer? Most, if not all parents try to do their best. Parenting skills and parenting methods are as diverse as people themselves.

Teaching our children to become responsible adults is all about how responsible as adults we are. From the moment they are born, everything they learn affects them immediately. Remember when they first slept through the night? Did you run into their room and make sure they were still breathing? As they struggled to pull themselves up, only to let go and take their first steps, were you waiting for the inevitable fall that would occur so that you could scoop them up to re-assure them they were safe?

Our responsibility to our children is to raise them with the knowledge that they are loved no matter what. I can still remember my grandparents conveying the message that children should not be seen or heard? That's not only cruel, but sends the message that children are a burdensome chore. Children are a tremendous responsibility, but the rewards are indescribable.

In exploring the role that parenting presents, responsibility starts within the home first. We have the opportunity of a lifetime in which to mold and develop our children into the best that they can be; however we only have a short window of time before outside influences become more appealing than what's going on at home.

Experience

By time we have become parents, we have acquired experiences that we can pass on to our children. We've all learned things from our own home life albeit, good bad or indifferent. These are facts of life that only we can change into a positive.

As parents we've all repeated the old adage that "when I have children, I'll be a better parent than my parents were". Perhaps that may or may not be true, but it certainly speaks volumes about how their parenting skills affected you. They may have been even younger than you are now when they became parents and

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