Newbie Parents Quotes

Tantrums are not bad behavior. Tantrums are an expression of emotion that became too much for the child to bear. No punishment is required. What your child needs is compassion and safe, loving arms to unload in.

So often, children are punished for being human. Children are not allowed to have grumpy moods, bad days, disrespectful tones, or bad attitudes, yet we adults have them all the time! We think if we don't nip it in the bud, it will escalate and we will lose control. Let go of that unfounded fear and give your child permission to be human. We all have days like that. None of us are perfect, and we must stop holding our children to a higher standard of perfection than we can attain ourselves. All of the punishments you could throw at them will not stamp out their humanity, for to err is human, and we all do it sometimes.

When you've had one call after another and your little one is tugging on your shirt, remember what really matters. When the milk is splattered all over the floor and those little eyes are looking at you for your reaction, remember what really matters. It takes 5 minutes to clean up spilled milk; it takes much longer to clean up a broken spirit.

The best leaders are gentle. In our culture, we have been misled to believe that the tougher we are, the more respect we will gain, but that is simply not true. What we gain by being tough is fear, and fear is not respect. Respect is gained by giving it away.

Rules rarely keep us in line. Love does a much better job at keeping us moral.” - Dr. Henry Cloud

Too much love won't spoil. Kindness doesn't provoke poor behaviour. Respect doesn't invite disrespect. This is backwards thinking which has caused us to feel trapped into being too harsh for too long. Generations of children are still searching and longing for unconditional love.

In between every action and reaction, there is a space. Usually the space is extremely small because we react so quickly, but take notice of that space and expand it. Be aware in that space that you have a choice to make. You can choose how to respond, and choose wisely, because the next step you take will teach your child how to handle anger and could either strengthen or damage your relationship.

For generations, parents have shaped 'fine' but deeply restless human beings. We may know 'how to act' but we're losing sight of how to love, how to bond, how to have healthy relationships. This is evident in our broken homes, the rise in depression and mental illness, suicide rates, and so forth.

Positive parenting is about believing in the altruism of our children, believing that they want to do what is good.

When you are able to look past the now, you can see how the little things don’t matter as much as they seem to at the moment, and this perspective helps you to better guide your child.

Although time cannot be slowed, it can be embraced. There is delight to be found in our ordinary days. Lifelong relationships are being built in these ordinary days. Your legacy is forged in these ordinary days. While they may pass by seemingly uneventful and unimportant, there is no such thing as an unimportant day when you are shaping a child's life. Something was written on their hearts today — something important. Be intentional about what it is you are writing. Embrace the time you have. Enjoy the season you are in.

1. My role is to guide and teach my child appropriate behavior. 2. My child learns through the examples set in the home and through the limits that are set and enforced respectfully and with empathy. 3. While I am the leader, my child has equal rights to be respected and to be heard.

We have to teach our children how to love, how to bond, how to deal with their emotions, how to have healthy relationships, and how to get out of relationships that aren't healthy. Our relationship with them is the one they will come to base all relationships on, so let's not base it on control and fear.