Parenting Styles

Favorite Quotes!

• Some children may be more difficult or easy to raise due, in part, to the inherent personality characteristics that stem from spiritual predispositions. As President Brigham Young noted: “Some spirits are more noble than other; some are capable of receiving more than others. There is the same variety in the spirit world that you behold here, yet they are of the same parentage, of one Father, one God.” – Craig H. Hart, Lloyd D. Newell, and Lisa L. Sine
• A successful parent is one who has loved, one who has sacrifices, and one who has cared for, taught, and ministered to the needs of a child. If you have done all of these and your child is still wayward or troublesome or worldly, it could well be that you are, nevertheless, a successful parent. – President Howard W. Hunter
• Child rearing is so individualistic. Every child is different and unique. What works for one may not work with another. – President James E. Faust
• I believe that I am a child of God endowed with a divine birthright. I believe that there is something of divinity within me and within each of you. I believe that we have a godly inheritance and that it is our responsibility, our obligation, and our opportunity to cultivate and nurture the very best of these qualities within us. – President Gordon B. Hinckley
• Of all the joys in life, none other equals that of happy parenthood. Of all the responsibilities with which we struggle, none other is so serious. To rear children in an atmosphere of love, security, and faith is the most rewarding of all challenges. The good result from such effort becomes life’s most satisfying compensation. – President Gordon B. Hinckley

Allowing your child Autonomy…

• Pick your battles – if the decision doesn’t really matter, let your child choose
• Pre-approve your child’s choices – limit their alternatives to ones you approve of
• Praise your child’s decisions – this builds their self-assurance
• Help your child think through decisions – help them see why one choice might better than another
• Let your child learn from their mistakes – they’ll learn to live with the consequences of their decisions