Top 10 parenting tips from my pediatrician

Whenever I take my boys to the pediatrician for their checkups, he gives printed handouts with parenting tips. I saved two of my favorite papers and taped them inside my medicine cabinet. Every morning and night as I reach for my toothbrush, I look at the these lists and try to pick an item to focus on for the day.

In this post, I’ve chosen my 10 favorite tips from the paper titled “What I Need from my Mommy and Daddy.” Hopefully, these will help you as much as they have helped me through the years.

1. Treat me respectfully. Even though I’m unable to express myself with eloquence I have feelings that are easily hurt.
2. Read to me on a daily basis. Take me to the library. Surround me with books and conversation. No matter what my future holds, good reading and communication skills will increase the number of choices in life.
3. Accept me as a work in progress – just like you. Allow me to learn from my decisions by experiencing their consequences. If I’m hungry because I refused lunch, I’ll probably eat a bigger dinner that night.
4. Remember I’m by nature a scientist. It looks like play to most, but recognize it’s the manner in which I learn about my world. Allow me enough free time to indulge my curiosities.
5. Be willing to admit imperfection and make an apology. I’ll think more of you.
6. Take me to places that expand my world. The beach, the library, a lake, the snow, a museum, a play, a concert, a hike – the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
7. Allow me the opportunities to make choices. The choices you provide will give me valuable experience I’ll need when you aren’t available.
8. Be consistent with your household rules. I get confused easily and ultimately will lose faith in your trustworthiness if I can’t count on fairness.
9. Eat dinner together as a family, whenever possible. Make it a priority. And no TV! I’ll enjoy your focus on me.
10. Love yourself and me.

As I experience the journey of parenting, some of these items have been easier to follow than others, but I know they are all important. I hope this list helps you be the best parent you can be. We’re all in this together, we may as well do the best job we can. We all know our kids deserve it!

When Eileen Calandro isn’t working really hard on item number eight from the list, she is the Chief Mom Connector of Mom Central. You can read about how she’s doing on the other nine items on the list on her personal blog at calandroclan.com and connect with her on twitter at @MomCentralChat and @calandro5.