How To Parent Intentionally

On a recent blog post titled, "Good Parenting VS Easy Parenting" I touched briefly on the topic of intentional parenting....
Today I will be talking about FOUR ways that we can begin parenting more intentionally.
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There is a difference between being a care giver, provider, or simply put, being a supervisor/babysitter- vs being an actual PARENT.
Parenting takes thought, effort, time, patience, evaluation, unconditional love, communication skills and so so so so soooooo much more!

So how does one parenting INTENTIONALLY?

1. Observe each of  your individual children and take note of their unique personalities.

Sure, a lot of  who they are is influenced by our examples.
But a lot of who they are is completely and totally innate.
Pay attention.

2. Acknowledge and foster their STRENGTHS

When you take a step back and view your child as an individual, it is easier to see certain characteristics (that may be difficult to deal with) as strengths, rather than faults.
For instance, if your child is strong willed, opinionated, passionate, and independent... these traits may be exhausting to deal with, but when you take a step back- these are actually really great traits!

Foster these strengths.
Help your children use these strengths appropriately.
For instance, if your child thrives on independence, allow them to make appropriate decisions for themselves.
Allowing them to make mistakes will help them to learn better decision making skills.
etc. etc.

3. Be patient with their faults and growth

Our children are not perfect.
My daughter is extremely strong willed, and consequently has absolutely ZERO patience with life. Her fuse is non-existent.
She gets FURIOUS. And she gets furious FAST.
Her strong willed personality is not the fault, the fault is that she doesn't know how to cope when things are not going her way- right away.
So we are practicing deep breathing exercises, using our words instead of screaming, etc. etc.

It is essential that we as parents do not subconsciously, or consciously view our children as humans that have emotional maturity comparable to that of adults.
We often forget that our little ones only have 2, 3, 5 years of life experience!
How can we possibly expect them to be at our level already?
It took us our whole lives to get to where we are.

We must accept that children are ever developing and improving.
And that we must be so very patient with their growth.
Repeating the same lesson over and over again is to be expected with little people, who have busy little minds.
Taking in the world around them while implementing the life skills and lessons that we are constantly throwing at them is a lot to take for an undeveloped little human.
(no wonder there are a lot of tears involved in the process...on both sides)

Be patient.
Be respectful.
And most of all....

4. Always be expressing an overabundance of LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

I have read time and again in my parenting books that it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to "spoil" a child with love and attention.
I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E
So give your children all of the hugs, kisses, smiles, words of affection, and attention that you can!
EVERYONE feels better after an unexpected hug!
The more love that you express openly, the more happy your children will be.
And who doesn't want happy children?
Happy children = happy mama
Happy mama= happy children
Everyone wins!