Parenting Little Tykes

In front of the picture glass window sat my five-year-old, filled with wonder at the world around him. He was so curious. Just yesterday he was watching me sew and asking me everything that had to do with… well, everything but sewing.


“Why do birds fly? Why is the moon so little? Why is the sun bright?” So inquisitive!


I’ve put three others through their “fivedoms” already, but I’m always worried I’m going to screw something up. I mean, you can mess a kid up for life, right? If there’s one thing my four have taught me, that’s that there’s only one wrong way to parent, and we’ll get to that in a minute. So how do you do it right?

Be Real

Everyone is different. Just be you. There’s no one way everyone has to follow. Everyone’s style is different. I’ll never understand those people who look down their noses at other mothers who don’t do it the cookie-cutter way. Just be real and forget them.

Be Flexible

Every child is different. Each little tyke needs reared a different way. Some need led softly, taken by the hand and gently guided each step of the way. Some need to be shown and then given the reins, allowed to make their own decisions. They need you to nurture their independence. Some, you show the way over and over again, and they still just need to figure things out on their own. This type of child, you’ll find, will be the leader, the one that will end up jumping out in front of the pack and solving everyone’s problems. I have one of each.

Be Loving

This is that one place I was talking to you about—that one place you can really mess up. That one place you can go wrong. Loving your children is not giving them everything they want. In fact, sometimes, it’s withholding it. Loving your little tyke is being there for him every step of the way. I don’t mean physically. Sometimes that’s not possible. We have to work—to provide. Loving your child is being there for them emotionally… and physically when you can. Loving him is accepting who he is yet limiting his behavior. Loving him is teaching him that even though life may not always go the way we want it, you will always be there when he needs you. That’s love. That’s how you parent.