4 Ways to Be a GREAT Parent

Posted on July 6, 2015

“Why wouldn’t I? I would do anything for them… We have great parents.” That is what my sister said, when I thanked her for offering to take our father to a doctor whose office was almost an hour away from her house.

“Great parents” I thought. “I do have great parents!” Almost instantly, I rewound my life in my head to when I was younger, and I giggled. I did not think my parents were so great when I was 16, when my “not so great” parents would not let me go to my friend Paula’s party because they did not know ALL the attendees! And to that time when I was 10 and my parents would not let me stay up past 9 p.m. on weeknights.That was “not so great” either! They were also far from “great” when they denied me a sleepover at a new friend’s place whose parents they did not know, despite the fact that I was a big 7-year-old girl who could take care of herself!

Clearly, greatness is a reflection of the times. Even George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, whose greatness we celebrate these days, weren’t regarded as “great” in their own eras, doing the things that have, indeed, made them great.

So for YOU, parents, I say, like those celebrated leaders and my parents, you, too, can be great! Here are four simple win-win TOGs (Tools of Growth) that worked for my parents and for me with my own children:

1. Be CONSISTENT about the decisions that you make for your children and your family. Consistency is not an act but a habit… a strong communication habit that will serve you well in the long run.

2. Stay WELL-INTENTIONED. As long as you are well-intentioned and are keeping your own and your children’s best interests in mind, you are great… despite their tears and any guilt on your part!

3. Be HUMBLE. Accept and apologize when you make a mistake. This might be the most important character-building example of greatness you set for your kids. My wise grandfather used to say, “Humility is royalty without a crown — greatness in plain clothes.”

4. TRUST YOURSELF. Always know that trust is what fuels your PGS, Parental Guidance System. If you trust yourself, your greatness will shine through, one decision at a time.

Sow these seeds of greatness now, and I promise you, when your children are grown, they will KNOW that they have great parents. And that is far important than anything they could ever say!