“All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair.” – Mitch Albom
It’s also about correcting them when they wrong another and helping them to repair the damage. It’s teaching them about their emotions and how to handle them appropriately. It’s about holding them to the same high standard we hold ourselves to, not one that is higher than we are willing to live up to. It’s about problem-solving, not simple punishments. It’s proactive, not permissive. Positive Parenting is all-in parenting.
Yes, positive parenting allowed me to reconnect to my kids. It made our home peaceful and happy. It ended the daily power struggles and helped my kids learn to behave much better. But in the bigger scheme, it’s teaching my children that they matter simply because they are human, and that all humans matter. When we see the light in them, they learn to see the light in others, and if we send forth a generation who sees the light in others, the world will change for the better.
