Improving Parenting Skills

Three Life Strategies for Being a Better Parent

1. Career Strategies you can apply to parenting:

Establish annual and quarterly goals
Review your performance
Identify areas you want to improve
Seek out opportunities for professional development (mentoring, workshops, reading materials, etc.)
Work to be a team player

2. Travel Strategies you can apply to parenting:

Prepare your car for the road by getting a tune-up, brake check, oil change, etc. (in the case of parenting you can prepare by practicing regular self-care)
Plan your route by consulting a map.
Ask for directions when you are lost.
Pull off the road and reconsider your route when you get off track

3. Project Strategies you can apply to parenting

Begin with the end in mind (in the words of Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families). Think about where you want to go and plan how you will get there accordingly.
Divide big tasks into manageable pieces to avoid overwhelm
Rest when you are tired
Be willing to correct your course (sometimes we over/underestimate what it will take to complete a project - redraw your new blue print with the new information in mind)
Maintain a sense of humor - if you've ever undertaken a big home remodeling or building project you know what I'm talking about!

Where can you look for hints and strategies that help you improve your parenting?