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Positive Parenting: Commonsense Steps for Raising Future Law-Abiding Citizens
We witness a tremendous amount of diversity when it comes to parenting styles and whilst some children grow up to become pillars of society, others seem to attract trouble and seem to frequently end up in hot water.
These contrasting results can often be influenced by positive parenting and by following some commonsense steps so that you improve your chances of raising a future law-abiding citizen.
It can certainly be a challenge when trying guide your child on the right path and respected juvenile defense lawyer Michelle Suskauer sees plenty of examples of when things go wrong, but here is a look at some ways of hopefully steering your child in the right direction.
Setting an example
A good starting point when talking about positive parenting is to lead by example.
Kids have a natural inclination to imitate what they see and hear from their parents as they grow up, so as a parent you will need to always aim to stay within the law and have a set of rules relating to behavior and other important factors that can influence the way our children develop.
It is therefore important that you should make a concerted effort to ensure that your kids never hear you talk in negative terms about authority figures and always try to demonstrate a total respect for law enforcement.
Our kids watch and mimic our behavior and actions more than we think so be mindful of this, so that they do not get the opportunity to store any negative or potentially damaging information or opinions.
Respect
Showing respect to others should be considered as one of the cornerstones of your parenting approach.
Law-abiding citizens are able to demonstrate a respect for authority as well as their elders and as a parent, it will be beneficial to teach your kids that demonstrating respect towards people in society like teachers, other parents and anyone else who is viewed as in a position of leadership, will allow you to get on in life and gain the mutual respect of those around you at the same time.
The issue of respect also extends beyond how you treat others, it also applies to respecting your community.
Teaching your children respect for their surroundings is a good life lesson and you should take the time to emphasise the benefits of things like not littering and never damaging other people’s possessions.
Applying discipline
Although not all children are the same and one particular parenting approach is going to work for everyone, there is a general consensus that children do tend to respond well to having a set of rules and understanding that discipline is sometimes necessary.
Nobody is perfect and kids will almost certainly make some mistakes and bad calls as they are growing up, which is why they need to have a clear understanding that some sort of discipline and punishment will follow bad behavior.
Parents should always aim to set some ground rules and explain to their children the need for discipline and the consequences for breaking those rules.
If you believe that their actions warrant them being grounded for example, it is important that you enforce the threatened disciplinary lessons, as it will help them to consider their actions in future if they know that a punishment is likely to follow.
Safe surfing
The internet has introduced a whole new set of influences and issues that parents need to be wary of and vigilance is required when allowing your kids access to the web.
Parents should take the time to educate themselves on the kind of programs and websites that their children might have access to and whilst you don’t want them to feel like they are not trusted or you are invading their privacy, it is important to talk about safe surfing with them.
A good move would be to try and keep your computer in a communal area where you all have access to it, so that you can safely monitor what they are looking at.
Last resort
Some parents do become so exasperated by their child’s behavior that they resort to calling the Police to see if they will intervene or offer some help.
You may be surprised by how many calls the Police Department get from parents to say things like they can’t get their child to go to school.
Although the Police may be able to help in certain circumstances, the fact of the matter is that your children are ultimately your responsibility, which is why you need to try and practice positive parenting at all times.
West Palm Beach Criminal Lawyer, Michelle R. Suskauer, is an AV Preeminent rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, which indicates that an attorney has reached the height of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. Michelle is one of the most experienced, dedicated and compassionate trial lawyers in Palm Beach County. She is highly regarded by judges, prosecutors, law enforcement and her peers. She is known for her creative solutions to complicated problems and for her client advocacy. She is passionate about helping her clients receive the needed services to correct their circumstances so that they do not become repeat offenders. Michelle is also a nationally known legal analyst who regularly appears on Headline News, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, NBC, and Newsmax. She has made hundreds of television appearances including The OReilly Factor, The Abrams Report, The Today Show, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, Hannity & Colmes, Nancy Grace, Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell, Anderson Cooper 360, Politics Nation, and The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.
