In today's society with violence on television and in music and corruption in the corporate world, we wonder where and what kind of values are our children learning. Despite all the outside forces that seem to be impacting our children's lives, the strongest and longest-lasting influence on our children comes from the family.

Children watch, listen and learn from their parents. It is not only what parents say to their children, but often what they do and how they interact with others in the family and in the community that influences children's behavior and values. The good news is that there are some very basic concepts that parents can keep in mind when interacting with their children.

·         Catch them being good. Positive reinforcement is the best way to give a child encouragement and develop their self-confidence.

·         Appreciate the differences. Each child has different skills, interests and attributes. Help your child to discover and develop what is unique and special about herself.

·         Practice patience. It takes time for children to learn a new skill, whether it is potting training or learning to drive a car. They will also make many mistakes along the way and a caring, encouraging attitude from parents will help develop the child's self-esteem and a sense of tolerance for others.

·         Share. One of the most important things a parent can do for their child is share their time, energy and talents. By learning to share, children develop skills of cooperation and compromise, which are critical to living successfully in a family and community.

These are some simple ideas that parents can incorporate into their family that will help develop a positive and productive foundation for children. Raising children in today’s world can be challenging for parents. Holy Family Institute’s Outpatient Counseling program can help parents cope with issues that may arise within the family, and can provide the therapy to support and challenge you and your family to increase positive family relationships, decrease stress and learn parenting and coping skills.