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Parenting Pitfalls: 10 Mistakes Even Good Parents Make

Regardless of their age, children thrive in an environment where rules are clearly established, consistently enforced and consequences for disobedience are swift and in relation to the offense. So what are the most common mistakes we make? What are the pitfalls for even intelligent, bright and well-intentioned parents in rearing their children? How do you know you've stumbled into one?

If you ever stopped in the middle of a conversation with your child about why he should do something you just told him to do and wondered when you began having to answer to him, instead of the other way around, ouch! If you have realized lately you're spending an inordinate amount of time picking up toys, clothes, and well . . . everything and your children are spending more and more time watching television, playing computer or video games, and generally making a mess, oops! If your daughter has recently thrown a temper tantrum on the floor of the toy aisle because you told her she couldn't have a toy she wanted: read on.

Parenting Pitfall # 1: Buy children absolutely everything they want - immediately

One of the most common pitfalls, which generally is the beginning of the descent into the deep ineffective-parenting pit we dig for ourselves is this: as soon as a movie is released take your children to the theater, buy them soda, candy and popcorn and then stop by the local fast food restaurant to pick up the movie-related toy in the children's meal on the way home. The same weekend, go to the store and buy them every single character, toy, game, clothing item and bedding accessory related to the movie that is available. As soon as it's available order a DVD of the movie so they can watch it whenever they want to.

Parenting Pitfall #2: Negotiate everything with your children

Every time you want your children to do even the smallest thing, tell them, "If you'll do X, I'll let you do Y." Don't teach children that regardless of the reason, you are the adult and they are children and children do what parents tell them . . . period. Since you (and they) have not mastered an understanding of that relationship, you can begin explaining the reasoning behind every instruction you give them from now until the day you die or they are arrested because no one told them why it was wrong to break the law.

Parenting Pitfall #3: Wait on your family hand and foot

Don't expect children to hang up their coats, put their clothes in the hamper, put their

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