Raising kids is HARD. It’s exhausting and frustrating and overwhelming. There are of course challenges that come with every age and stage, from terrible twos to teens breaking curfews. We know a critical part of successful parenting is consistency, specifically consistency when it comes to discipline. This can be SO exhausting, though. Sometimes you just want to throw up your hands and give in, to save yourself from incessant whining and to buy yourself a couple of moments of peace and quiet. And I’m guilty of that! But while I often pick my battles as I raise my young children, there is one thing I can never be inconsistent about, and that is teaching my children the importance of being kind. Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. So much unnecessary hurt can be eliminated if we are all kind to one another. We can consistently engrain this message into our children. Of course our children will slip sometimes – heaven knows WE slip quite often. But if we consistently talk to our children about being kind, and most importantly set the example for them, they will innately come to choose their words selectively. And we can only hope that our children will come to treat others the way we want others to treat our children.
– Jackie at After Hours Pediatrics Lake Worth
