Advancing Parenting is one man's effort to improve the quality of parenting in communities, which will in turn reduce child abuse, substance abuse, domestic violence, and crime. I am placing parenting tips on the windows of businesses, medical buildings, offices, and automobiles in an effort to bombard people with messages about good parenting.
Caesar's Deli on Calloway
Family Motors Auto Group
Smith's Bakery on Union
Neira's in the automall
Smith's Bakery on Brundage
Jost's Carpet One
Galey's Marine
Serrano's Furniture
Strawberry Patches
Snider's on New Stine
Choose the parenting tip you would like for your window and I will put it on for you.
1. Provide your children with a good mother/good father by marrying someone you believe will make a good parent.
2. Don’t start a family immediately after marrying. Wait a while.
3. Don’t abuse drugs or alcohol. Chemically impaired parents are a source of embarrassment, shame, stress, and violence for children.
4. Don’t ever tell your child that he or she is stupid, ugly, good-for-nothing, worthless, etc.
5. Don’t physically, sexually, verbally, or psychologically abuse your child.
6. When you tell your child to do something, see to it that it gets done promptly.
7. Set a good example for your children.
8. Use the best manners and train your children to follow your example.
9. Assign your children age-appropriate chores beginning when they’re old enough to pick up their toys and continue this practice until they leave home.
10. Establish a code of conduct. If you don’t, your children will adopt one that may endanger their lives and the lives of others.
11. Listen attentively to your child.
12. Love your child, and express that love frequently in little ways. Hugs, caresses, a smile, a hand on the shoulder can often communicate feelings more effectively than words.
13. Be wary of popular culture. It may be your child’s most cunning and deadly enemy.
14. Praise your children appropriately when they deserve it. Praise that is exaggerated is baloney, and kids know the difference.
15. Don’t “label” your children…the irresponsible one, the wild one, the talented one, the smart one, the lazy one, etc.
16. Check your children’s homework religiously and be there for them when they need help with schoolwork and projects.
17. Don’t make derogatory remarks about your children to other people while in their presence.
18. Read, pay bills, do laundry, clean the house…do anything except watch television while your children do their homework.
19. Don’t allow your children to patronize gutter media, that is, television, movies, and games that portray base, vulgar, or gratuitously violent behavior.
20. Introduce your children to media that portrays honesty, sacrifice, loyalty, perseverance, modesty, love, humility, courage, courtesy, respect, and reverence.
21. Don’t fight or argue with your spouse in front of the children if it’s the kind of thing that would frighten the average child.
22. Severely restrict all television viewing.
23. Don’t hold one sibling up as an example to another. In other words, don’t say, “Why can’t you be more like your sister?”
24. Never draw comparisons between your child and another family member who may be a poor role model. In other words, never say, “You’re just like your no-good jailbird dad.”
25. When you hear these words…Can I help? Can I do it? Can I watch? Say yes, if it’s safe.
26. Hold education and hard work in the highest esteem.
27. Don’t excuse or make excuses for your child’s bad behavior.
28. Don’t threaten punishments you are unwilling or incapable of carrying out.
29. Read to your children daily, beginning when they’re infants and continue until they’re reading on their own.
30. Do not fail to carry out a punishment when it’s called for.
31. Make your children aware of their strengths and don’t draw attention to their weaknesses. They know what they’re not good at.
32. Don’t bribe your child in order to elicit good behavior.
33. Teach your children that an emergency is the only reason they may interrupt a conversation.
34. Do speak quietly and teach your children to speak quietly.
35. Tell your child that you answer questions one time and one time only, and then stick to it. This will cut down considerably on begging.
36. Spend time with your children. Play catch together. Do yard work together. Shop together. Wash the car together. Go for bike rides together. Go to church together. Wash the dog together. Play board games together.
37. Don’t give in to a whining or tantruming child. If they’re having a fit in a restaurant or some other public place take the child outside.
38. Make sure your child gets sufficient sleep. Most kids require a minimum of 8.5 hours each night.
39. Teach your children to pick up their messes.
40. Have high expectations for your child’s behavior and achievement and communicate them clearly.
41. Allow your child to make mistakes and see to it they learn from them.
42. When opportunities present themselves, teach your child problem-solving skills, first by example then by guided practice.
43. Do orient your child toward the future and preparing himself or herself for its challenges.
44. Let your children experience the logical consequences of their actions, if it’s safe.
45. Involve and participate with your children in sports and group activities.
46. Respect your children’s privacy by knocking before entering so as not to interrupt their dressing. The popular notion that children's bedrooms are their private property is dangerous nonsense.
47. Introduce your children to the arts, encourage them to participate, and support their efforts.
48. Take your children when you donate blood, recycle cans, contribute to a food bank, donate clothing, etc.
49. Take your child to the library regularly.
50. Teach your children how to do things for themselves instead of doing things for them.
51. Instill in your children the belief that success in life is due to hard work rather than luck or inherited traits.
52. Encourage children to save up or earn money for things they desire.
