What I Need You To Know

What I Need You To know. Please:

  • Be here
  • Lighten up
  • ALWAYS keep your promises…………ALWAYS.
  • Say “Yes” often
  • Respect my sense of wonder with my new world
  • Open your heart to my imagination
  • Cherish my childhood
  • Be the parent you want me to remember
  • Create joy in our home

PLEASE REMEMBER:

  • How small I am, and how much I have yet to learn.
  • You are my first and forever teacher.
  • That laughter and lullabies are free
  • That innocence is a developmental stage. So is parenting.

Raising me will try every ounce of your patience. Be my example, keep your cool and lead me with gentleness, especially when I’m out of control.

Please understand that my behavior is my way of telling you how I’m doing.

Quality time, time when you LISTEN, really LISTEN without adding your judgment, opens my child’s heart. Ask me questions, “How do you feel when ….?” “What were you hoping to happen when ……” “Draw me a picture using the colors that match your feelings.”

When I risk telling you what I feel, or that I’m afraid of someone, or a situation, take my concerns, worries and fears seriously.

When you tell me “You shouldn’t feel that way,” You’re too sensitive,” or “Stop crying!” I can grow up numb to who I really am.

Pay attention when I ask for your help. And, listen when I do feel like talking.

When I act out, let me know that you are concerned because you love me. The best way is to ask how you can help support me. Recognize my behavior is communication. My behavior can be my cry for help.

Assure me of how much you love me, and that you really want to know why I am struggling. Make it your responsibility to understand my motivation for my behavior, not my responsibility to see and do things your way.

Consider the ways our family interacts and how this might provoke my frustration, anger, and withdrawal. If I’m not allowed healthy expression of my emotions, eventually they may boil over in my defiance or rage, or bubble over as passive – aggressive actions, like when I don’t turn in homework, cut class, and “forget” to do my chores or assignments.