What Parents Truly Want

If you ask most parents, what they truly want....most will have similar answers.  As a parent, new or seasoned, what we really want is for our children to be healthy, happy, and thrive in their environment.  Unfortunately, we cannot always predict or control the health of our children or how they are going to react and engage as they grow and develop. Regardless, of the unknown, our job as as parent or caregiver, is to try and minimize the stress and anxiety our children experience by setting consistent boundaries and guidelines related to their daily routines and constantly encouraging them with positive reinforcement.  To do this, we need to create environments that are structured, allowing our children to feel safe and nurtured in a loving environment where their needs are being met, while simultaneously creating the opportunity and freedom for our children to explore and learn. 

Although we must provide structure and boundaries, we more importantly need to follow our child's lead.  They will show us, and it is our job to identify how to guide and lead them onto the next adventure so that they can learn and grow.
                                                                           ~Stephanie Puryear