Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll go first. We spent $30k for my son to attend a private Kindergarten that helped him excel during the first Covid year.

We also bought a home at the top of our price range to ensure he is in the best public school district for elementary school.

Your turn! It doesn’t have to be education related.

Wow! Excelling in kindergarten! Now that’s something to brag about.

When public schools were closed, he learned to read.

Well stop traffic!

Anonymous wrote:Modeling a happy marriage. Both DH and I grew up with unhappily married parents (his never divorced, mine did several times without finding happier marriages along the way). A happy marriage is the best foundation for a happy life.

Eh, I don't agree with the bolded. Health insurance, having enough food, having a safe place to sleep, access to education - those are all more important and necessary in order to have a happy life. Your statement implies (probably unintentionally) that children raised by single parents can't grow up to have happy lives, and I'm sure you can agree that's not true.

The best gift my parents ever gave me was the ability to walk out of undergrad debt-free so I would say saving for college is the biggest thing.

DH and I are also very involved in our community and show our kids how important it is to give back--I was PTA president, DH coaches sports teams, involved in the community association. It's very important to me that they understand that in order to live in a great community, you have to help create it. Another lesson that I learned from my parents.

Mine will graduate from college debt free with a paid off used car. It’s all there is from that point

Anonymous wrote:Modeling a happy marriage. Both DH and I grew up with unhappily married parents (his never divorced, mine did several times without finding happier marriages along the way). A happy marriage is the best foundation for a happy life.

This, plus a stable home where all basic needs are met.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll go first. We spent $30k for my son to attend a private Kindergarten that helped him excel during the first Covid year.

We also bought a home at the top of our price range to ensure he is in the best public school district for elementary school.

Your turn! It doesn’t have to be education related.

Wow! Excelling in kindergarten! Now that’s something to brag about.

When public schools were closed, he learned to read.

Modeling a happy marriage. Both DH and I grew up with unhappily married parents (his never divorced, mine did several times without finding happier marriages along the way). A happy marriage is the best foundation for a happy life.

Life is not a competition. We are working to ensure we create good people who contribute to society.

Anonymous wrote:🙄
I am doing my best to raise kids who are well balanced. OP you sound insufferable.

Exactly. Op is everything I hate about parenting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being good enough.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201512/the-good-enough-parent-is-the-best-parent

" ...the best parent is not the one who parents most, and certainly not the one who parents least, but the one who parents just the right amount.

Good enough parents do not strive to be perfect parents and do not expect perfection from their children.

Good enough parents respect their children and try to understand them for who they are. Good enough parents do not think of themselves as the producers, creators, or shapers of their children. ..."

+1. This is spot on.

+2 This, right here. I think of it as investing in and protecting their mental health

Anonymous wrote:I’ll go first. We spent $30k for my son to attend a private Kindergarten that helped him excel during the first Covid year.

We also bought a home at the top of our price range to ensure he is in the best public school district for elementary school.

Your turn! It doesn’t have to be education related.

Wow! Excelling in kindergarten! Now that’s something to brag about.

Anonymous wrote:Being good enough.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201512/the-good-enough-parent-is-the-best-parent

" ...the best parent is not the one who parents most, and certainly not the one who parents least, but the one who parents just the right amount.

Good enough parents do not strive to be perfect parents and do not expect perfection from their children.

Good enough parents respect their children and try to understand them for who they are. Good enough parents do not think of themselves as the producers, creators, or shapers of their children. ..."

+1. This is spot on.

Never change, dcum!

I am teaching my daughter to think critically, to appreciate the positive, to look for the good in people, to set boundaries, to ask for help with small problems before they become big problems, find nice friends, have a good sense of humor, and be responsible with money.

Anonymous wrote:Parent the kid you have, not the kid you want to have. I have 3 kids and each one of them is SOOOO different. I have learned how to be patient, validate their feelings, be firm and consistent and try to give love and warmth in our house.

They might not go to THE BEST school in the whole world, but they have loving, hands on parents and a safe nurturing environment to grow up in. They know they are loved and wanted.

+1

My parents told me that all they expected of me was to contribute positively to the world. That resonated and I now I tell my children the same thing. I don't need them to get into top colleges and I don't need them to be the best at a particular sport or skill. I just want them to try to leave their environments a little better than they found it. That can be done on a small scale (making another kid feel valued) or a large scale (selecting a service profession).