Enjoy your child’s “Unique-ness”

All children are unique. They all see life in their own way. Their personalities and life experiences color the way they act, the way they think, and the way they learn. They can respond differently from each other in the same exact situation. There isn’t one specific perfect way to raise all children – as they all require a slightly different parenting approach.

Rafe, 16 months and Rueben, 2.5

Even siblings can be very different from one another. I have four children who are as alike as apples, oranges, brownies and chewing gum. They are very distinctive individuals and they have very different strengths and personality traits. And they each require very different things from me – and yet other things from their dad.

Hanna, 2 and Eva, 5

When parents expect all children to act exactly the same, and respond the same way, or if they expect the same child to respond precisely the same way in every situation (which they don’t!), they set themselves up for frustration. That’s why I think that it’s important for us to have a wide repertoire of parenting skills so we can modify what we do to make it work best for each child in our family, and in each different situation.

The best advice I can give you is to be flexible and ambidextrous! Apply what you learn to each of your children in the unique and special way that is best for them in each separate situation that arises. And then take pleasure in the variety and spice that they give to your life.

Kaylee,2 and Bella, 4