Parent To Parent: Being A Good Role Model

As the parent of three, I now realize how important parenting skills are. I didn't realize that when they were born, but I certainly realize it now. Just as good skills in any art form makes you better at performing it, good parenting skills are essential for raising good, productive, law abiding, gifted kids too.

Yes, parenting is an art form and you can learn it. Thinking that our children can grow up on their own and be good, productive, law abiding citizens is irresponsible and shortsighted. Our kids need both parents working together to help them maximize their potential and encourage their success. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes two parents working together, teaching, supporting and providing for them too.

The rising number of children raised in single family homes has grown out of control. Parents, not only is that unfair to the child, it's unfair to you too. You need the help of the other parent and you should not be denied that. The choice, however, is yours to make and is primarily in your control.

While I understand that some single parent homes are the result of divorce or the death of a parent, we also need to start thinking of our children first and address a situation that has grown out of control: stop having children out of wedlock. Stop producing children with irresponsible individuals who don't have your best interest or the child's best interest at heart. If we as a society do not begin to lovingly address this concern we are going to continue to suffer its consequences together. Our kids deserve better and so do you as a parent. It can be fixed, but the decision to do so lies primarily with you. The power to say no to raising children in single parent homes is under your control.

As parents, let's learn how to be better parents and start modeling better parenting skills for our children to emulate. It's not my intention to belittle or judge any parent. As a parent myself, I made many mistakes too, but I've studied what the Bible teaches about parenting and it has made a tremendous difference in how I treat my children and their mother. You can become a better parent too, if you will take the time to study it. It's the best parenting guide on the planet.

If we raise our children in the way they should go, when they get older they will not depart from it. They will raise their children to be good, loving, law abiding parents too and the world around us will benefit significantly from that. The choice is yours, aren't you and your kids worth it? YES, YOU ARE!

Kenneth Bryant, Jr. is an Emmy Award winning Producer/Director for CBS 62 and CW50. From Bill Kennedy At The Movies, Piston Yearbook "Badboys" specials to directing Michigan Matters, he has produced many shows during his 39 year tenure with the company. Ken has been married to his childhood sweetheart for 42 years. They have three wonderful children. Ken is also the pastor of Ford Memorial United Methodist Church in Detroit where he has faithfully served for 15 years.