It's not hard to notice how many parents have forgotten what parenting truly entails. You can see it simply by observing their children. The disrespect toward authority, the constant refusal to listen, the backtalk—these behaviors are often the result of a lack of proper parenting. No one is correcting this outrageous behavior. Parents laugh when their children curse or use their hands and feet to harm others. These things may seem cute at a certain age, but when does it get corrected? When do parents put their foot down and make it clear that they are the parent—not a friend?
Children need boundaries and discipline. Yes, I know what you're thinking: "They're just children—they need love." But that mindset is exactly what we need to reconsider. Did you know there's love in setting boundaries and providing discipline? If you want your child to succeed in life, these practices need to start now. The outlandish behaviors many kids display often stem from having no one consistently teaching them right from wrong. Children can't figure these things out on their own—that’s why they have you, their parent. This is your responsibility, and if you choose not to instill core values and structure, you're setting yourself up for a lifetime of frustration. In doing so, you're neglecting your child's essential developmental needs.
Imagine the embarrassment you might feel when you take your child to a restaurant and they don't know how to behave. They're getting up every minute to run around or crawl under the table, yelling and screaming while others are trying to enjoy their meal—even yelling at you when you try to correct them. This kind of behavior suggests that, at home, they’re allowed to do whatever they want. When you're having dinner as a family, is your child expected to sit at the table and eat with everyone, or are they allowed to get up whenever they want and do other things while eating? Does your child always need a screen in front of them just to sit still? These are habits children need to be taught—otherwise, it can reflect neglect on the parent's part.
The most influential time in a child's life is between the ages of 1 and 5. This is when they are most impressionable, and it's a crucial period for brain development—setting the foundation for future learning and behavior. Anything you allow your child to do during this time will stick with them, and they will carry those habits and lessons wherever they go. If you speak harshly to your child or use explicit language when interacting with them, what do you think the outcome will be? When they go to school, they’ll likely use those same words in the same context—with their peers and teachers. If you see your child dunking their head in the toilet and flushing it while laughing—and you do nothing to correct it—what message are you sending? They’ll repeat that behavior elsewhere, encouraging other kids to do the same or causing unnecessary problems for teachers. These behaviors won’t correct themselves; it's up to the parents to step in and provide proper guidance.
Parenting isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention. The choices you make as a parent today will shape who your child becomes tomorrow. I hope you don’t take this as criticism, but rather as a call to reflect, reset, and rise to the challenge of raising children in today’s world. Our children don’t need perfect parents—we’re all going to make mistakes. But they do deserve parents who are present and intentional. In future posts, I’ll be diving deeper into practical ways to set boundaries, build respect, and raise emotionally healthy kids in a world that desperately needs it. I hope you stick around!
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