A Note from Mrs.

Mork
School Counselor ☺

I came across this book that I wanted to share with parents:

“The 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting.” Author Laurence Steinberg, one of the
country’s most distinguished psychologists, has spent over three decades researching
children and families. Through his research, he noticed scientific evidence linking
certain principles of parenting to healthy child development. Each month, I will be
highlighting one of these ten principles.

1. What You Do Matters

Strive to be a more mindful parent – pay attention to how you parent. When you
can, try to parent proactively rather than reactively.

Regardless of your child’s genetic makeup, what you do as a parent matters

because it is your influence that affects how those genes are expressed.

Children learn by watching. Most parents underestimate the degree to which their
children are aware of what they say and do. We get so used to them not paying
attention to us when we want them to listen, that we forget how closely they are
listening when we rather they didn’t.

Parents are the most important influence on their children, but not the only one. You
make a difference as a parent through your role as a “manager” of your child’s
leisure and time with friends. Manage your child’s media usage as well – there is no
reason you cannot put a limit on the amount and content of your child’s TV and
video game usage.

We all make mistakes as parents – we’re short with our kids when we’re tired or
stressed. Parents are not perfect. Strive to do better next time and move on.

(taken from “The 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting” by Laurence Steinberg,

Ph.D., 2004)