In this day and age, a college degree holds the equivalence to a high school diploma. Taking into account the stiff competition, even qualified applicants are not guaranteed the job of their choice. How can we as parents arrest this problem before it creeps into the lives of our children? Let's start at the beginning. Teach the basic skills - reading, writing and arithmetic - at home. But, children demand more than an education for stimulation. They also need love and discipline to grow mentally healthy and successful. The long lasting affects of this love and attention gives parents a peace of mind, knowing their children will be the best in whatever field of study they choose.

Here, the foundation for such success is given through the acronym of the word PEACE.
Praising, entertaining, getting angry, comforting and being excited are all necessary ingredients
to accompany the required learning skills. These essentials do not involve a lot of money or a
lot of quantity time. Simply make the best of the moments you spend with your children. Their
memory of your fondness towards them will linger throughout life and encourage a goal striving
attitude. Peace of mind is guaranteed when using these techniques.

PRAISE

Praise, praise and more praise is one the first major priority in creating a successful child. Praise says appreciation. Nothing sounds sweeter to children that to know they are appreciated. Even the simple everyday chores around the house can be praised. This will ensure the actions are done again, and again.

Now, what does this entail? Let's take for example small opportunities. Your child brushes their teeth by themselves; they help get the diapers for a younger child; or they put away a few toys without constant reminding. These are the times you can say they are growing to be so helpful. Remember to do this as often as possible. A lull in praise can cause disruptive behavior on purpose. Repetition turns the key to success.

ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment involves keeping your children's minds active on new and exciting activities. Some parents believe this means spending a lot of money on extravagant toys on the market. But entertainment for a child can start right at home or in the car while traveling from place to place. Children enjoy and cherish even a few minutes of fun with their parents.

At home, choose from several non-expensive choices from various parts of the house - like the living room, the kitchen the bathroom or the bedroom. Keep a bookshelf in the living room or family room. Guest will marvel at how the little ones can read all by themselves. The kitchen is a great spot for budding chemists. Oatmeal cookies are easy to whip up and a great source of fiber. Younger children can participate by pouring the ingredients, and an older child can learn the measurements. The bathroom equips a mini swimming pool (when supervised), and the bedroom sparks the imagination by dressing up in the parents work clothes.

ANGER

Anger is synonymous to discipline. Discipline can help a child with the pitfalls of trying to succeed. The world will not always bend to your child's every mood and demand, so we as parents can help the children adjust by gently giving corrective instruction.

When the time does come for something other than verbal advise, try to use consistent measures. For example, after being told - at least one hundred times - to stop standing on the chair, hitting the child can come from frustration and not from discipline. On the other hand, physical punishment could have been threatened so many times, no matter how hard the blows, a child might scoff at the temporary pain. Follow up on your promises, or you will literally have to tell the child one hundred times.

COMFORT

Comfort means love. Children thrive on love. In intensive care nurseries, love - through touching and caressing - helps infants on the road to recovery, more than those infants which do not receive the same care. Love, through verbal communication allows the child to grow in the world without falling for the pressure of their peers. Without love, success does not seem worthwhile.

Okay, so we as parents want the top of the pyramid of life to look promising to our children. We must tell them every day how much we love them. This comes from out actions when the children wake up in the morning and again to be the last words the children hear at night. Do not expect miracles overnight. This will be a gradual process, depending on the child's age. Eventually though, if you persist and don't give up, your child will bloom.

EXCITEMENT

Be excited about life. All parents set the example for their children. If your anxieties start on the job, then why would your children want to be a part of the work force? Realizing problems may arise now and then, it is how you tackle these conflicts which will hopefully stand out in your child's memory.

Everything might not be perfect, but try to demonstrate to the children you can move mountains with you attitude. Associate with people who have a positive outlook on life, and the good vibrations will rub off on you. Read articles, like this one, which support the fact that great things can be done to promote your child's successful future. Attend seminars and group sessions to strengthen your positive mental skills. If you children see you believe in yourself, they will grow to believe in you and themselves also.

PEACE for parents is guaranteed. These steps only a few minutes out of each day, but the results will remain for years to come. You children will strive for higher levels of education, and enjoy the riches of a satisfying career.

© © Copyright 2002 Family-Content.com. All rights reserved. Family Content

Credits: Judine Slaughter