NANA SAYS ENJOY YOUR CHILD'S LITTLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

And they will lead to good self-esteem. Parents have a lot of power in their children's lives. They are always looking to us for approval. Look at my drawing! Read to me! With older children, they may tease the younger ones just to get your attention. Comparing children's school achievements can be very touchy. There will always be a brighter child in any family. The parenting skills come with acknowledging each child uniquely and not comparing. I remember when my girls had their first part-time jobs. Actually for both it was in a donut shop. I went and visited them to see how they were doing. I saw the pride on their faces when they were serving a customer well and tidying the tables. All the birthday parties were at home. The girls planned the menu and decorated with me. I was proud of their organizational skills developing. Guess what? When it came to planning their weddings, both girls tackled it with skill, knowledge and organizational abilities. Little accomplishments lead to big accomplishments. We have a role as grandparents too in valuing each grandchild individually. More than one fridge in any family can become full of "art work" by little hands. Attending concerts or sports and encouraging our children in all walks of life is important. Occasionally, our children pay us back by telling us what a good job we are doing or thank us for being there during all the rough patches. Have you told a little one today how proud you are? Do you acknowledge the accomplishments of the children/grandchildren in your life?