Introduction to Parenting 101 By Pamela Caywood

Pam, Bill & Grace

Parenting 101 is not a course that you take as part of a high-school or college curriculum. Most people don't seek out seminars on "What Do I Do Once I am a Parent?" or "How to have Perfect Children in 10 Easy Steps." Before you have children, you enjoy doing what you want to do when you want to do it. You spend 12 to 20 years in school so that you will have the experience needed for your career path. You think about your career and how you will get to the next level. Your focus is on working so that you have money for playing! Then you decide to have children ...uh oh...now what?

Now you have a new focus: that bundle of joy. As your child grows, you suddenly have many questions and you don't always know where to turn for answers. "Why won't my baby sleep?" "How come every time I go shopping, my son starts screaming?" "Why does he have trouble finishing his homework?" "What should my daughter be eating?" The questions start and never end. Then you think "Some people make this look so easy? Who taught them what to do?"

We hope to show you through future articles in this section that you too really do have what it takes. It is a process of using your skills and experience in a new way. Some of the areas that we will investigate are:

1. How to write family goals
2. The importance of networking with other parents
3. How to manage your time effectively

The role of a parent is a job...an important job. There are six important techniques that will help you to improve your parenting skills:

1. Read .
2. Read.
3. Read.
4. Listen.
5. Listen.
6. Listen.

That doesn't sound too hard huh? There are many resources at your fingertips: magazines, books, newsletters. Since you are reading this article, you know the wealth of information on-line. The amount of information is incredible and sometimes overwhelming. Read as much as you can and discuss your thoughts with your spouse. (Of course, read to your child too!) Listen to yourself, your spouse and your child. Their input will help to develop a structure that will make your family work successfully! Find role model parents who will offer constructive criticism and words of support and encouragement.

The basic techniques that we discuss will enable you to master Parenting 101. You will receive so much satisfaction from learning new techniques, putting them into place and watching the results in front of your very eyes that you won't even realize that parenting is a job! (or at least most of the time!) Plus, you will want to share your experience with the next generation of parents. So, stay tuned to Parenting 101.

Pamela Caywood is the proud mother of 3 year old Grace and is expecting her second child in October.