The #1 Parenting Strategy of all Time

As a parent you are likely trying to juggle your time but still be the best parent possible for your child. Many books talk about a variety of strategies you should be doing, but I have the most important you can start doing right now.

It doesn’t take any time even though you will be doing it 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It’s something you have to do yourself to just survive. It’s incorporated into how you eat, drink, deal with crisis, success or failure, how you manage money and everything in between.

What is this killer strategy?

As I discuss in my book, The Sponge Factor is the strategy. Explained simply, behave and act as you want your child to act when in similar situations. Your child will soak up what you do like a sponge and permanently deposit it in their brain.

If you want your child to be strong, show strength. If you want your child to exercise, you need to exercise. If you want your child to eat healthy you eat healthy. If you want your child to respect people, you respect. If you want your child to work hard and have a strong work ethic, you work hard. If you want your child to take care of their financial needs you model that behavior as well, invest and take care of your money.

This isn’t a touchy-feely recommendation. It’s based on my observations of over 30 years in clinical practice and the science that clearly implicates the importance of the role models children have around them as they grow and develop. Yes genetics and other environmental factors including good-bad luck play a part. But it continues to be my belief that the overwhelming evidence points to the influence you will have on your child based on what you yourself do each day. The Sponge Factor is the killer strategy you need to remember when it comes to the most important thing you can do as a parent.

What you do not say is what matters. Remember your children are always watching and learning. It’s parenting 24/7. It’s the #1 Parenting Strategy of all time.