The 'phone conversation had absolutely nothing at all to do with parenting - but it made me think . . .
'Hello, Eastbank Football Club. Can I help you?'
'Good morning, may I speak with the Assistant Coach, please?'
'Oh, I'm sorry. He's still on holiday.'
'I see. Is anyone on the coaching staff there?'
'No, they're all away right now. The club's closed for another week yet. I'm just the Groundsman.'
'Well, thank you anyway. And hey, why say you're only the Groundsman? If it wasn't for you, there wouldn't be a football club. They'd have nowhere to play!'
(Pause) 'Yeah, I'd never really thought of it like that. (Laughter) Thanks a lot, pal, you have made my day!'
So often we do ourselves down, do not we? We devalue our own contribution or service.
"I'm only a shop assistant!"
"I'm only a . . . " (fill in the blank!)
Occasionally we even hear ladies say: "I'm just a housewife"!
Confidence and self-esteem are often in brief supply nowadays. And nowhere more so compared to PARENTING!
Even those who are superbly self-confident in their work or social conditions, frequently teeter on the edge when it comes to their parenting abilities.
Why?
Is it some thing related to the break down in old-fashioned principles and ideas of authority; the extending gulf between children and their parents; the dangers we as parents are so acutely conscious of, however that are gently ignored by our children? Whatever the causes, there's a lot you can do to enhance things. Dr Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power Of Positive Thinking, used to recommend people to sit down and write out a list of all their assets and abilities. However Dr Peale's next suggestion is crucial. Once the list of assets and abilities has been written, he tells us to raise the stakes.
Simply Believe that you are at the very least 10% better than you think. It is now extensively recognized in contemporary psychology that you will still be way off the mark! So have faith. You're a whole lot better than you think.
Secondly, do some study. You most likely were not taught parenting skills at school or college, yet parenting is the most vital contribution to community. There are lots of books, courses, tapes, CDs and videos on parenting.
No excuses! Grab some and get busy. Knowledge and insight bring confidence. No matter what stage you are at, you are able to improve yourself
. Thirdly, learn to temper your reaction in stressful parenting situations. Easier said than done! But you are able to make a conscious effort to stay calm and help remind yourself of Dr Peale's advice (You're more capable than you think you're!), and you can apply what you've been studying about family dynamics.
A fourth way to boost your parenting skills would be to develop yourself in some way. Yes, keep in mind those piano lessons you once took, or that art class you attended? Interests such as these are great stress remedies and they build self- confidence - which is important for parenting. In the event you really feel you are already confident in other concerns, but it's only in parenting you feel a scarcity, why not take up some activity with your children? Studying together brings you together, and could be great fun
! Lastly, resist any kind of temptation to go it alone. Nature designed us to be social beings. Seek advice from grandparents, relatives, pals. Conquer your pride. Talk about your parenting issues with others and draw on the communal power. And d'you know what? You'll discover you are not the only one. Let's work on parenting together, as a community.
Confident parents raise confident children.
Take action now. In the event you do absolutely nothing, you are able to anticipate more of the exact same old worry, tension, ill-feeling, etc. etc. Zap these negative trends as soon as and for all. To give yourself a real boost, take a look at our website. And why not sign up for our free monthly e-zine, Family Features? To show our gratitude we will send you a totally free six-day e-mail course entitled A Step-By-Step Guide To Positive Parenting.
'Hello, Eastbank Football Club. Can I help you?'
'Good morning, may I speak with the Assistant Coach, please?'
'Oh, I'm sorry. He's still on holiday.'
'I see. Is anyone on the coaching staff there?'
'No, they're all away right now. The club's closed for another week yet. I'm just the Groundsman.'
'Well, thank you anyway. And hey, why say you're only the Groundsman? If it wasn't for you, there wouldn't be a football club. They'd have nowhere to play!'
(Pause) 'Yeah, I'd never really thought of it like that. (Laughter) Thanks a lot, pal, you have made my day!'
So often we do ourselves down, do not we? We devalue our own contribution or service.
"I'm only a shop assistant!"
"I'm only a . . . " (fill in the blank!)
Occasionally we even hear ladies say: "I'm just a housewife"!
Confidence and self-esteem are often in brief supply nowadays. And nowhere more so compared to PARENTING!
Even those who are superbly self-confident in their work or social conditions, frequently teeter on the edge when it comes to their parenting abilities.
Why?
Is it some thing related to the break down in old-fashioned principles and ideas of authority; the extending gulf between children and their parents; the dangers we as parents are so acutely conscious of, however that are gently ignored by our children? Whatever the causes, there's a lot you can do to enhance things. Dr Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power Of Positive Thinking, used to recommend people to sit down and write out a list of all their assets and abilities. However Dr Peale's next suggestion is crucial. Once the list of assets and abilities has been written, he tells us to raise the stakes.
Simply Believe that you are at the very least 10% better than you think. It is now extensively recognized in contemporary psychology that you will still be way off the mark! So have faith. You're a whole lot better than you think.
Secondly, do some study. You most likely were not taught parenting skills at school or college, yet parenting is the most vital contribution to community. There are lots of books, courses, tapes, CDs and videos on parenting.
No excuses! Grab some and get busy. Knowledge and insight bring confidence. No matter what stage you are at, you are able to improve yourself
. Thirdly, learn to temper your reaction in stressful parenting situations. Easier said than done! But you are able to make a conscious effort to stay calm and help remind yourself of Dr Peale's advice (You're more capable than you think you're!), and you can apply what you've been studying about family dynamics.
A fourth way to boost your parenting skills would be to develop yourself in some way. Yes, keep in mind those piano lessons you once took, or that art class you attended? Interests such as these are great stress remedies and they build self- confidence - which is important for parenting. In the event you really feel you are already confident in other concerns, but it's only in parenting you feel a scarcity, why not take up some activity with your children? Studying together brings you together, and could be great fun
! Lastly, resist any kind of temptation to go it alone. Nature designed us to be social beings. Seek advice from grandparents, relatives, pals. Conquer your pride. Talk about your parenting issues with others and draw on the communal power. And d'you know what? You'll discover you are not the only one. Let's work on parenting together, as a community.
Confident parents raise confident children.
Take action now. In the event you do absolutely nothing, you are able to anticipate more of the exact same old worry, tension, ill-feeling, etc. etc. Zap these negative trends as soon as and for all. To give yourself a real boost, take a look at our website. And why not sign up for our free monthly e-zine, Family Features? To show our gratitude we will send you a totally free six-day e-mail course entitled A Step-By-Step Guide To Positive Parenting.
About the Author:
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