Children are their parents!

More specifically, how a child behaves, the child’s mood patterns, attitudes, ways of communicating and emotionally reacting – even thought patterns - all reflect their parents to a significant extent.

In a sense, raising children means raising ourselves.

In my parenting classes, parents quickly realize how their children’s behavior problems demonstrate behaviors those parents themselves have modeled.

Some of the most powerful parenting advice that can be delivered is to observe your child closely to recognize the ways that his or her behavior reveals how YOU need to change.

When you really see how a problem behavior displayed by your child replicates a pattern of your own, you hold the key to leading the child into improved behavior.

For instance, one parent observed that her child loses her emotional balance too easily and frequently, leading the child into wild, destructive, rebellious behavior.

This parent recognized the same tendency (or weakness) of emotional imbalance in herself, and then set to work on getting a better handle on it.

As this mother progressed in her self-work, she found her daughter’s self-control improving.

This mother realized that she didn’t really need parents tips for controlling her child – she needed self-work for improving her own self-control.

The fact that children become like their parents does not have to cause parents to blame and feel badly about themselves when their children misbehave. All that would accomplish is de-motivate them to even try to do better. And that, by extension, would do the opposite of motivating their children to do better.

Apply some of the most powerful parenting advice by observing your child with the aim of recognizing ways that you can raise yourself… for your child.

Author's Bio: 

* Author, Seminar Leader, Motivational Speaker, Consultant ( www.wisie.com ) ( www.boblancer.com )

* Host of the WSB Radio Show Bob Lancer's Answers, focusing on the challenges of parenting, marriage and personal / professional development.

* Motivational Speaker for Large and midsized companies, associations, government agencies, schools, hospitals, youth groups and other organizations

* Child Behavior Expert of WXIA TV News (Atlanta's NBC TV affiliate)

* Host of Atlanta's Radio Disney show Ask Bob (helping kids deal with their issues)

* Featured Parenting Expert in local and national media

As a public speaker, seminar leader and consultant for over 25 years, Bob Lancer has been inspiring audiences around the nation and overseas, and setting them on a more direct and fulfilling path to total life-success, with his empowering insights and strategies.