If you are new to being a parent, then you may have a lot of ideas for how you envision yourself parenting your children as they grow older. Most parents do, especially first-time parents. However, as most parents know, the best laid plans often go awry when it comes to parenting. Therefore, instead of trying to be the perfect parent, it’s a better goal to try to be an honest parent.

Honest parenting may sound easy, but the truth is it isn’t. Honest parenting requires that not only are you honest with yourself regarding various situations, but that you are also honest with your child about things too. Now, does this mean you have to go into detail about how grandma passed away? No, it only means that you don’t avoid the question because it makes you uncomfortable. In this situation, most young children accept an answer like, “grandma just fell asleep and didn’t wake up,” or something similar. Of course, when dealing with teenagers your answers won’t be as simple as those given to small kids.

Of course, honest parenting involves more than just being honest when asked a question by your children. Below are a few more aspects of honest parenting:

• Showing Respect – You have most likely heard the statement, “respect is not given, it’s earned.” This is very true when it comes to parenting. While as a parent, you deserve respect from your children, you will not get it (willingly) by demanding it. You earn your children’s respect by treating them with respect. It doesn’t matter if you are in the middle of a heated discussion, a temper tantrum or disciplining for an act of disobedience…you can be respectful in all of these situations. When you are, your children (teens included) will continue to respect you and your authority.

• Teaching Responsibility – One of the faux pas made by parents today is that they handle everything for their kids, no matter how old they are. Of course, a baby can’t be taught responsibility, but toddlers, grade-schoolers and teenagers can. Parents who implement honest parenting techniques want to teach their children responsibility from a young age because they know that their kids’ ability to become successful adults depend on it.

• Discipline – If you have ever watched parents and their children while out in public, then you can easily determine which parents discipline their kids and which ones don’t. Disciplining your children can be hard to do, but it is important that you do if you want your children to grow into young adults who are valued by their communities. It’s easy to look the other way when our kids do something they aren’t supposed to do to avoid disciplining them, but honest parenting requires that you be honest with yourself about your children. If you see your children causing trouble or show disrespect to someone, it’s your job to correct them.

• Being Consistent – Being consistent in your parenting strategies is another focus of honest parenting. When parents discipline their children for something one time, but not the next time they do it, it sends mixed signals to the children. The kids won’t stop the behavior because they know that they get by with it sometimes. Therefore, you have to be consistent with your parenting techniques in order for honest parenting to work.