What do you think makes a 'good' parent?

[Kajikit 65]

If motherhood (or parenting in general) was a position that required a job interview, what would you be looking for in the candidates? IQ? Physical appearance? Health? Training? etc. What do you think are the basic requirements for being a good parent?

[wally 0]

patience and a very very thick skin when they hit puberty

[CarolineM 0]

Ability to care for a child....home, money, stable household...education (mandatory parenting classes) including assessments to make sure they "Got it"

Examine number of children the mother has already and how they are supported (mentally and financially)

I'm not saying the parent has to be rich - but have enough funds AND a realistic idea of what it takes to care for a child.

I hate to do this - but I think there should be an age limit on it (hey this is hypothetical right?) I see too many pregnant teens...many of whom have MULTIPLE pregnancies before the age of 18...I think they should have to complete HS first.

[Mand 1]

I don’t have kids, so I’ll go by how I was raised. My parents were strict but fair, put our day to day needs before their own, but also disciplined us when we were bold…and we were devils!! They helped us with our homework and brought us to the library once a week to get books. They involved us in sports (hurling, basketball, swimming and rounders) and we visited my Grandparents every 2nd week and played on their farm.

As we got older, if we acted like kids…we were treated like kids, if we acted responsibly, they allowed us a little more freedom. We worked part-time jobs as soon as we were allowed, and gave a certain amount of our wages to our parents as “mini-rent”. We were never pressured into areas (jobs, school, college) we did not want, instead they focussed on our strengths.

They hugged each other a lot, and were always messing and joking around together. In a nutshell, they’re just down to earth people who I believe, respected us as individual people, but were never afraid to give out to us and make us learn from our mistakes (which were many!!). Plus, they’re great craic to be around too!!

I just haven't the slightest clue how they're still sane after raising us or how they kept us on the straight and narrow. Mam said it just comes to you naturally

[Traviesa 0]

The most important quality of a good parent would be selflessness. They need the ability to put the health and welfare of the child before their own. The happiness and success of the child before their own.

Another important quality is confidence. The confidence in your ability as a parent to know it's ok to discipline and to trust yourself.

I guess the third important quality is respect. A child, though young, is still a human being deserving of respect.

Other things that I think are important include responsibility (providing healthy meals, establishing schedules and bedtimes), intelligence (to teach the child), maturity (to handle all the various obstacles life throws without breaking down), and a good work ethic (to be a good provider, provide healthy surroundings for the child to grow up in).

I forgot a couple of the most important: tenderness and compassion.

Edited March 7, 2006 by MissLiss

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

A good parent is one who gives his or her child any kind of candy they want, when they want it, without any fuss.

[Traviesa 0]

A good parent is one who gives his or her child any kind of candy they want, when they want it, without any fuss.

that's probably what I used to think too.

[mercuryroad 0]

First requirement......a sense of humor.

[gimygirl 0]

the ability to say something and stick with it. ie: set boundaries and be consistent when they are broken.

children also deserve to be smothered with love & happiness ... if parents are not happy with themselves or relationship, they have no right to bring a child into this world.

it usually happens that one generation of morons creates another generation of morons ... remember, you're not raising a child, you're raising an adult.

[faith 0]

as much as ya'll would like to, it is impossible to "sum up" what makes a good parent. It's not the individual qualities, it's the whole picture. It's not a certain quality, it's the ability to have ANY and EVERY quality needed to deal with ANY kid, as all kids are different and need different things.

[babybunny 2]

A good parent is one who gives his or her child any kind of candy they want, when they want it, without any fuss.

I agree.

its funny you said that. that was the reason I picked my mom. I was adopted.

she gave me some butter scotch - man oh man. she was my favorite person in the world that day..

[almaty 19]

patience..understanding...guidance..and compassion...and direction...not afraid to discipline and make mistakes..

[I'm Gone 60]

Someone that doesn't try to be the child's best friend or buddy. Someone that will make the decision that's in the child's best interest, not the most popular one.

[almaty 19]

Someone that doesn't try to be the child's best friend or buddy. Someone that will make the decision that's in the child's best interest, not the most popular one.

i agree with that...too many friends not enough parents...

[meddykomp 0]

I'm not saying the parent has to be rich - but have enough funds AND a realistic idea of what it takes to care for a child.

This sounds good, but to be honest I don't think anyone really knows until after the fact. Basically, if you think you know ... you have probably underestimated. But I agree that there are too many kids having babies thinking things like the baby will love me and this will make my boyfriend stay ...

The truth is, you have to be prepared to love unconditionally and not always get it back. When your child says he/she loves you it feels wonderful, but when the words are "I hate you" it's very heartbreaking even when you know it isn't true.

Kids require a lot of time and patience. More now than ever and yet parents often have less time to give them now. When I was growing up I didnt receive homework until 5th grade and my parents rarely had to help me with it. Homework starts in kindergarten and at the younger ages almost always requires the parents help.

To be a good parent requires a person to be prepared to put the needs of the child(ren) before everything else. It requires a lot of sacrifice.

Edited March 7, 2006 by meddykomp