Parenting: Walk a mile in their shoes

One of the best parenting tips we can offer is: The walk a mile in their shoes game.

You have surely heard of walking a mile in someone elses shoes; yet have you put it into practice?

When dealing with your child - and they are of reasonable age eg a teenager - and you reach a stalemate on a topic. One of the best things you can do is to look at the situation from their point of view. Ask your child to do the same. Once you have ascertained each others view points, write them down on a piece of paper. After a quick review, the most practical way to solve the problem may/should be on the paper.

Remember though, as a parent, it is your responsibility to have final say. If you topic you can't agree upon could result in problems/accident etc for your child, it is still best to stick to your guns. At the very least, your child should have an understanding of where you are coming from.

Cheers

Andrew Collings