Transcripts

Laurence Steinberg:
The science says that there's no more important influence on children than their parents. So, the first thing that the parents need to know is that they really matter an awful lot.

Dr. Laurence Steinberg, author of the book The 10 Basic Principles Of Good Parenting , says one of the most important principles of parenting is consistency.

Because we find that the greatest source of disciplinary problems in households is parental inconsistency. So then you can look at your own behavior or your spouse's behavior and say "Hey, this is a problem for us, we don't stick to our guns, we do change our mind therefore we're maybe contributing to our child's problem behavior".

Another important principle is to really be involved in your child's life...

to know who your kids' friends are, to know where your kids spend their time when the parents are not around, to know who their kids' teachers are and what they're learning in school and to attend those school programs. And that will show up in your child's improved behavior.

But every parent makes mistakes in raising their children and Dr. Steinberg says that's OK.

I think what we understand from the science of parenting is that it's the general climate in which a child develops that matters. And in fact if you've made a mistake admit it, admit it to yourself, as your child is old enough admit it to your child and then move on. Don't beat yourself up over it.

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