What Makes a Good Parent?

What makes a good parent? Is it wanting a child? Caring for a child? Being there for a child? Teaching a child? What makes you a good parent? It seems like such a simple question, but the answers are infinite. Some would say all of the above and others would say none of the above, so what is it that makes one parent better or worse than another? Coming from a poorly functioning dis-functional home myself, I have my own theories. A parent mostly needs to be consistently concerned with their child's best interests to be a good parent. I know this sounds just as simple as the question, but they are both pretty complex. If a parent, or anyone responsible for a child, is always mindful that every decision that they make or avoid making is going to affect their child, than if you are really at heart a good person you will always make a decision based out of concern for your child. Yes there will be mistakes, but there won't be catastrophes. Just consider for a moment what it means to be acutely and consistently aware that your child's best interests must be met, every day. Every day, not just on Mondays, not just when it's easy, not just when someone is watching but all the time. I have made it my mission to make decisions based on this premise every time! Even for decisions that don't seem to directly impact my children I still practice my belief and I have found that I seem to make better more conscious decisions that I am not only comfortable with but also proud of. It is hard, and I get frustrated. Sometimes I worry over a decision that I feel shouldn't be so hard and I have even been know to ask my kids what they think. Look, being a parent is a tough job and I can agree that there is no training offered on how to lovingly and effectively raise your child to be a productive and successful member of society but I must say that if I am capable than so are you. I firmly believe that you can learn just as much about how to be a good parent from your own parents mistakes as you can from their successes. Stop blaming everyone else, stop blaming circumstances, stop blaming and simply start parenting. Like I said I know it's a tough job, but it's the most rewarding thing that you can do also. Your child is the product of your decisions, beliefs, effort and love; don't let them down.