Parenting Skills

It's amazing, how many parents, years ago, manageddemand', others prefer a strict time-table. Obviously
to successfully rear their children, without the help ofwhichever system works is the one to adopt; there's
'parenting skills'- a concept completely alien untilcertainly nothing mysterious or difficult about it. As the
comparatively recently. There's no doubt whatsoeverbaby settles down, puts on weight and shows signs of
that the arrival of a new baby, with all its needs, cangrowth, the easier things become. Some babies will
be overwhelming initially, turning a previously balancedalways cry more than others which can be distressing
and structured regime into one of chaos. There arefor the parent but again, using common sense, mothers
some parents who find it almost impossible to cope,begin to recognise what's upsetting their baby and so
particularly if the mother is unlucky enough to suffertake the necessary steps to deal with the problem.
from post natal depression. Even a mother who is fitThen the baby begins to flourish and, at this stage, can
and healthy is sometimes frightened by thebring tremendous happiness and joy to the parents as
responsibility she bears for attending to the wants of athey watch their baby develop with its own personality.
new baby. The mother quickly realises that this littleThere is nothing more rewarding.Quite frankly, most
scrap of humanity is totally dependent on her which'parenting skills' are innate, there to be used when
can at times seem daunting.However, with the numbercalled upon. All children need understanding and love,
of books on baby care, plus clinics and medical facilitiesparticularly love which most parents are only too
available, a new mother has help undreamed of onlyhappy to display. Always being there for their children
fifty years ago. In addition, she has numerous labouris the most reassuring stand any parent can take.
saving gadgets including washing machines, disposableObviously, as a child grows, it's important for him/her to
nappies, bottle warmers etc. which all contribute todiscover there are right and wrong ways to behave
making her life easier than that experienced by herand responsible parents will ensure their children learn
mother. But it appears all these advantages are notthese differences. Encouraging children to do well is
enough to enable mothers to bring up their childrenfine as long as parents don't make the mistake of
without lessons in 'parenting skills'. Incredible as it maypushing their offspring into situations which make them
sound, the basic ingredient required for bringing upunhappy. All children are naturally curious and this
children are two words, 'common sense'. It has to becuriosity helps them to learn and should never be
admitted that it takes time to come to terms with thediscouraged. Equally important, however, no parent
arrival of a new person in a household but it doesn'tshould allow their children to be burdened with
take rocket science to learn how to rear that newunrealistic expectations. Each child eventually finds his
baby.Common sense should provide enough guidanceher level of intelligence. Forcing a child to exceed that
along with the informative books and medical helplevel can be exceedingly damaging to a child's
mentioned previously. Even people with no experiencedevelopment.All the above points are simply based on
with babies can successfully bring up a child withoutcommon sense and, if used wisely, will almost always
lessons in 'parenting skills'. All these' parenting skills' areresult in producing a child who is well-balanced, secure
after all, when examined, based on common sense. Itand able to cope with the trials and tribulations of
doesn't take much imagination to know when a babygrowing up. This will also give huge pleasure and love
needs feeding, changing or is tired. It takes practice butin the process to his/her parents. Rocket Science? Not
soon becomes second nature. Some mothers feed 'onat all!