Originally Posted by cbachinger

A preparatory review guide on 'Successful Parenting':

Children’s languages: English 1st language (Universal), German/Mother's native language as 2nd/3rd languages. I am mother tongue English and speak German as a second language; my father's family being Austrian. Should there be a language learning difficulty, English should at least prevail.
Do what is best for the individual family member.
Have family bonding evenings and weekends.

Spoil wife and kids once in a while. Ie. Take wife to romantic dinners periodically (leave nanny at home until kids are mature enough), take kids to fun places.

Being a good father:





Be more caring and easy to get close to:

1. The father needs to keep company of his children and know every side of them in order to form a close relationship.
2. The father can also show the tender side towards his children.
3. Participate more in the parent-child activities held by the children's schools so as to create more topics of talks of interest.
4. Show more comfort and concern to your children.

Show more admiration and acceptance:

1. Pay more attention to and show admiration for your children.
2. Respect the desires of your children and understand their difficulties.
3. Listen more to the views of your children.
4. Praise and confirm more of the achievements of your children and relieve unnecessary stress.
5. He's good at guiding his children to act appropriately.
6. He allows his kids to make some mistakes.
7. He's open-minded.
8. He teaches his children to appreciate things.
9. He accepts that his kids aren't exactly like him.
10. He spends quality time with his children.
11. He leads by example.
12. He's supportive & loyal.
13. He challenges his kids.
14. He teaches his children lessons.
15. He protects his family at all costs.
16. He shows unconditional love

Further Tips:

A ‘discipline = learning' policy must be established which will allow us to spend a good quality period guiding our child.

Every time we say anything, we should be prepared to justify ourselves. We should teach our children that it's ok to question everything. Obedience is an undesirable trait.

Teach respect and courteousness as soon as possible: with guests, family members, parents of friends.
Table manners apply.

Teach protection tips:
Don’t ever talk, walk or take rides with strangers, even if they offer you a ride home, a treat or tell you that they know your mom or dad. Either we will pick you up OR should we ask a family member or family friend that you know too to pick you up, we will tell you before we leave you, where and when. If there is public transport, at an agreed age for travelling alone.

**Once you are of a certain legal age for participating in certain activities, as long as they are not illegal, you are responsible for your own actions.** Teaches adult responsibilities.
Obey the law:
“Listen, we want you to obey the law. Certainly your mum and I are going to do so. We want you to trust us - if something happens we want you to come and talk to us, and we'll help you”.

Changes in mood/understanding due to teenage ‘growing up years’ will be dealt with in a mature and compromising way.

Encourage responsibility on children as soon as they are old enough, ie. voluntary jobs for pocket money. Ie. challenges.

The children to be told the truth at all times; go for or find out facts when you can. They should be taught that free thought is vastly more important than popular thought. Religion should be left completely out of the picture.
The children to be christened at least.

Encourage children to attend groups for mental, life and social development: martial art classes, musical instruments, cubs/brownies and boy scouts/girl scouts, ballroom dancing, reading a balance of fiction and non-fiction to develop GK and imagination.