I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the one single answer to being a good parent is to respect your children.  While there are many other aspects of good parenting, I think if you have this one basic principle down, you will go far as a parent and have kids who are confident and happy, despite the hurdles life may throw at them.

If you look at families whose children seem to exhibit those traits we so desire in our kids, such as confidence, happiness and good manners, the parents are usually very respectful of their kids and treat them as human beings, not serfs who are lower on the food chain.

Conversely, kids who seem to be insecure, unhappy or displaying poor behavior often seem to have parents who treat them disrespectfully.  It breaks my heart to see a kid joyfully present a new discovery or exciting event to their parents, only to be treated with disdain and dismissed.

When you begin to consider your children as the small human beings they are, and accept the fact that their feelings and opinions should matter too, you open the door to honest communication and create feelings of worth and confidence in your kids.

This doesn’t mean that you need to cave to your child’s opinions or allow them to manipulate their way through a situation in the guise of getting answers, but you should accept that, immature though their thoughts and feelings may yet be, they are still valid and should be given some consideration.

Kids who experience respect learn to give respect as well, and when they learn from an early age that all people are deserving of respect and compassion, it will help them grow into successful, caring adults who can’t help but do well in our world.