What does it take to be a good parent?

What defines a good parent? Are you a good parent? Do your kids see you as a good parent? When is one ready to become a parent, If anyone is indeed, ever ready, If one is already a parent, hot does one change to be A Good Parent?

What defines a good parent? That is one of those questions that if you asked a 100 different people, you would get 100 different answers. And you would be surprised on how these answers may differ among age groups, don’t believe me? Ask a kid. Kids have a totally different perception of what a good parent is, than adults do.

Everyone who had a childhood has thought of becoming a parent or acted as one at least once throughout their childhood. Remember playing house with your sister and/or friends? Starring Barbie, as the lovely mother/wife and Ken as the father; who leaves home to work after breakfast, giving Mom and the baby doll a kiss? Or perhaps you remember telling yourself that once you were grown, you would be the coolest dad ever; letting your kids play as long as they wanted, buying them all the toys they wished for and most importantly: Never force them to finish their vegetables!
Now, You might not be the coolest parent in the world, but you sure are the most concerned about your child’s future, health and safety. So does every parent (I Hope), but guess what? That is not enough in your child’s point of view.

Many people believe that, as parents, their role is to: provide food, shelter and the opportunities for a good education to their children, a few realize that kids are not mature enough to understand or appreciate all their parents provide. As I teacher I have heard many kids saying they wish daddy would quit his job and come home to play with them; Now isn’t that ironic, that parents have to scarify spending quality time with their children so that they have a better life?

Some young couples wishing to have kids ask themselves: are we ready to become a parent? Well if I could answer that question I would say: NO, you’re not and you will never be, unless you can predict your child’s whole life before it is even born. The reason for that is: no matter how much money you have saved, or the amount of baby clothing you have bought, or the number of classes you have taken on parenting, you are never ready for such a demanding life change.
But don’t panic, unlike many jobs that require lots of experience, you can always learn on the go, and but the time you have your second or third child you will be one step closer to becoming a “Good Parent”
If you are already a parent, and yet don’t think you can be classified as one of the best there is, You can always learn from your mistakes and make the necessary changes, it can’t be that difficult, in case you don’t know how to change your parenting style, why don’t just stick to Mom and Dad’s pattern? It can’t be that bad, if it worked for you it surely will work for your kids and you can always use your own innovations and leave out what you didn’t really like about the way your parents raised you.

In the end, no one is really a great parent in everyone’s eyes, your ability to cope with the changes that will happen in your life and the understanding of your children needs as they grow once you become a parent is what makes you a good parent.
Leandro Soares