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Being a parent requires maturity. Parents are a child's first ambassador to the world. They have the power to present a picture of the world to their child. When parents view the world through the eyes, or a heart, that are too immature to see a realistic picture, they cannot present an accurate picture to their child.

Being a parent requires being emotionally well adjusted - or at least being willing and able to find a way to work around any of one's own emotional issues, for the good of the child.

A parent must be strong - strong enough to make the difficult decisions, strong enough to deal with some of the worries of being a parent, strong enough to make the child feel sure that he is safe, and strong enough to do what is right, rather than what is easy.

A parent needs to have a good memory. Having a good memory lets parents remember how it feels to be a child. It gives a parent insight into why a child may do something he shouldn't do. Remembering what it was like to be a child helps parents realize that, most of the time, a child who has done something wrong feels pretty rotten about himself already. A good memory also comes in handy when that other sneaker gets lost each and every morning, when everyone is running late.

Sometimes a parent needs to be able to forget. (Sure, you may not have been in the in-crowd in high school, and sure it may have been because your mother wouldn't let you wear anything but "dud" clothes; but don't turn your six-year-old into a copy of that famous, troubled, pop star. Don't be on her back about staying super thin. Let go of the pain of looking like a dud and be thankful you weren't swept away by an In-Crowd that, as a group, may have peaked in their teens.)

A parent must have patience, but more importantly, be able to find patience when they don't have any left.

Being a good role model is important for parents. How can any parent believe they have the right to set a standard of behavior for their child, if they, themselves (adults), are not able to uphold that standard.

A parent needs to be emotionally secure enough not to worry about what is cool. Worrying about what's cool is for teenagers. Parents cannot let cool dictate their decisions, behavior, or beliefs.

A parent doesn't need to, and shouldn't, act "over the hill," but s/he shouldn't be afraid to act like an adult. In other words, a parent shouldn't buy a death-trap, two-seater, car and cram the baby wherever s/he fits, just because the parent doesn't want to feel like

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