Top 7 Parenting Tips for Good Parenting: Bring Out the Best in You and Your Kids!   by Kelly Nault

Even though we need a license to do many things in life -- everything from driving and operating a forklift to practicing medicine and fishing -- there is no license required to become a parent and this is often the trickiest of all of the above activities! Parenting today is far more difficult than it was, even a generation ago. Many well-intentioned parents are using outdated and ineffective parenting styles. As a result, they experience daily frustration and stress in their home.

Below you will find my top 7 tips for good parenting. These tips inspire children to want to be well behaved, can reduce family fights and boost family joy.

Good Parenting Tip #1 - If you love your kids--put yourself first!

One of the best things we can do for our children is to give them a foundation for becoming a happy and healthy adult. Self-care should not be a luxury for parents--it needs to become a necessity. You need self-care both for being a good parent and a healthy and balanced human being. Far too many children are living with parents who are stressed out and frankly, not at all fun to be around. If you are repeatedly burning the midnight oil, you may be on the brink of parent burnout--not a pleasant thing for you or your family to experience.

Good Parenting Tip #2 - If married--put your marriage before your kids!

Most of us have heard of Generation X and Generation Y. But did you realize that Generation S--Generation Spoiled--is on the rise? Many children today are raised with an unhealthy sense of entitlement because their parents have made them the center of the universe. With divorce statistics still hovering around 50%, children are far too often coping with unhappy, failing marriages and divorce- much worse for them than missing out on a couple of toys or brand name jeans. Take a stand and put some time into your marriage (like go on a date night)--for your whole family's sake!