THE PARENTING MANIFESTO PROJECT
From Al Arsenault (Army Brat):1 - the more time you spend with your kids, the more they learn from you. Be their softball coach (or soccer, basketball, etc.) If you can't be the coach, be the team parent. Cheer them on, don't criticize them. At the end of the day, you'll be surprised how much they've learned from your behavior.
2 - kids are going to rebel at some stage, probably early teens. You did, too. Accept it, be ready to deal with it. The best way to do that is to be ready to explain why you think and act the way you do. As Brian said, they really do learn more from what you do than from what you say.
3 - keep the rebellion within bounds. No drugs, drunk driving, or unprotected sex. No criminal acts - theft, beating up others, etc. (And it doesn't hurt for you to live that way, too.)
4 - if they make their bed, they lie in. Don't always go rushing in to clean up their messes. If they break something, they bought it.
