By Meredith Montgomery
Shelly Lefkoe, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Guide to Effective Parenting, believes that children learn what we model as important values. She tells her daughters they should treat her with dignity and respect not because she’s their mother, but because, “That’s how you treat people and that’s how I treat them.”
Minneapolis college student Casey Martin often joins his father, Kirk, in presenting Calm Parenting workshops for parents, teachers and students around the country. In growing up, he’s seen firsthand, “If you have a connection with your kids, you can have a lot more influence on them.”
Noting that sometimes children feel like their parents love them, but don’t necessarily like them, Martin emphasizes finding ways to identify with their interests. “I love cars, and my dad used to invite me on test drives when I was a kid. Both of my parents took time to connect with me, which had a huge impact on our relationship.”
This article by Natural Awakenings Magazine gives a few helpful tips for establishing values, being disciplined communicators, navigating the teenage years, as well as explaining why sometimes our kids can be the best teachers for us as parents.