Parenting

Parenting is an essential part in God’s plan. We are commanded to multiply and replenish the earth. Having children and parenting is key in understanding our Heavenly Father and his eternal plan. When we are parents ourselves we get a small glimpse into what it is like to be a God. We are all spirit children of God, He is our father. When we become have children of our own we take on the role of mother and father and therefore develop a better understanding of our Father above.

Parenting is beneficial to all. Parenting affects ourselves, our children, and our society. When we parent we develop Christ like attributes such as patients, understanding, love, and gratitude. Our children are affected because as parents we show them love, provide their needs and teach them the gospel. Our society is affected because when we parent we teach our kids how to interact, how to be sociable and we also teach them values and morals. Parenting is key to success for ourselves, our children and our society. We need parenting not only for spiritual reasons but also because it provides so many positive effects temporally.

As we parent we must remember that we need to meet our children’s needs. The universal needs are:

        1.  Power

        2. Contact/Belonging

        3. Protection

        4. Challenge

        5. Withdrawal

As we seek to meet these needs for our children they will be less likely to act out and be obnoxious. For example parents need to give their children attention first before their children start to seek out for it. When kids do not feel like the contact/ belonging need it met that is when children will go to great lengths to seek out for it. We must always remember that we must provide our children with these needs. Some things we can do to help these needs be met are:

-Offer contact freely

-Teach contribution

-Give responsibility

-Provide choices and consequences

-Provide support

-Provide encouragement

-Show love

I know that if we do these things than we are better able to help our children’s needs be met and they will not act out in order to receive these things.