Characteristics of a Good Parent - Essay Example

Characteristics of a Good Parent There is no job more precious and important than parenthood. Good parenting does not happen by accident or coincidence, but evolves through hard work and lessons learned through experience. Parents plant seeds that grow into morals and develop behaviors throughout a child's life. When good seeds are planted, the child is more apt to develop positive values and behaviors that will benefit and sustain the child throughout his or her life. Parenting is the deliberate and mutual practice of nurturing the physical and emotional growth of an individual (Child Welfare League of America).

Nothing of value is ever arrived at without hard work, and parenting is just that: hard work and a lifetime commitment of love and discipline. Well-parented children will probably not overpopulate the world, and there is no magic guide to perfect parenting though some modern magazines claim to be. But, there are certain characteristics that contribute to positive parenting. Thesis Statement: Patience, honesty, and persistence are three qualities that are often exhibited in good parents.

Topic Sentence 1: Good, effective parenting requires a lot of patience, because it is a process rather than an event (Action for Children). Just as it takes time to grow a garden, growing a child takes a lifetime, but the returns on investment can be incredibly rewarding. Children arrive as blank slates and learn through observation, imitation, and experience. Some of the best lessons are derived from failures and mistakes. All children experience failures, make mistakes, and test their parents from time to time.

Patient parents acknowledge that children are imperfect and realize that sometimes it is ok to let a child fail, because this is how we learn. People learn in different ways and at various rates, and it requires patience to understand that children don't always learn the first time or even the second time. Just as we made mistakes when we were young, patient parents understand that their children will also go through trials. Patient parents are good parents, because they repeatedly provide instruction and guidance no matter how long it takes the child to learn.

Topic Sentence 2: It is extremely important for parents to be honest with their children within the limits of propriety and reason. Good parenting is not perfect parenting, and it is important that children understand that their parents are fallible human beings subject to the same problems and transgressions that most people experience while growing up (Critzer-Fox). Children can learn a lot from the mistakes of their parents, and when parents speak from a platform of experience, it encourages children to avoid falling subject to similar problems.

Honesty promotes a comfortable and open relationship between parent and child that is mutually beneficial. Children learn by example, and when parents are honest, they are more likely to plant seeds of honesty in their children. Though it isn't always easy to be open and honest with children, it is very important for parents to set an honest example, so that their children might grow to be honest individuals. Topic Sentence 3: Persistence is key to solid, consistent parenting that will endure through triumph and trials.

Good parents are consistently present and active in the lives of their children. It is extremely important that both parents be present in a child's life so that they can teach the child to act and interact with other family members. Good parents are emotionally present so they can feel and respond to the feelings of their children and others (Action for Children). Persistence applies to all aspects of good parenting. Parents should consistently enforce rules and avoid making exceptions that only confuse boundaries.

Parents should persist in rules and discipline as well as in love and understanding. Good parents are persistent parents that never give up. Clincher: Parenting is an imperfect Science, and most parents find themselves discouraged at one point or another. It is natural for parents to become overwhelmed at times but important for them to remember that good parents are imperfect parents. During periods of discouragement, parents should review some of the qualities that contribute to good parenting.

Patience gives children room to grow and learn. If cultivated, honesty can grow into an open relationship in which parent and child communicate and share with one another. Persistence in parenting is an act of unconditional love that helps children understand that a parents' love endures and is unwavering. Conclusion: There are no perfect parents or perfect children, but these are some of the characteristics that contribute to good parenting and in turn aid in developing well-rounded children.

Works CitedAction for Children. "The Art of Positive Parenting." 2005.http://www.actionforchildren.org/page5130.cfmChild Welfare League of America. "Positive Parenting Tips." 2005.http://www.cwla.org/positiveparenting/Critzer-Fox. "Positive Parenting." Peace Begins at Home. 2005.http://www.positiveparenting.com/Todd, Seana. "Effective Parenting." 2005. http://www.cwla.org/positiveparenting/