Serious Parenting Action Steps by David Miller

Article: Serious Parenting Action Stepsby David Miller


I would like to share with you a fantastic resource for parents that I found on the Raising Him Alone (RHA) website. Here is a wonderfully written article on "Serious Parenting Action Steps." Please take a moment and explore the advice offered by the founder David Miller and staff.  Read the steps here: http://www.raisinghimalone.com/strategies.htm#Question5.  I'm listing just a few below, but I encourage you to go to their site and read them all today.

The Family Unit
•Maintain an open and on-going relationship with your son's father (if possible, all attempts need to be made to cultivate this relationship)
•Surround your son with extended family and friends
•Create family meeting times with your son to discuss your lives

Household
•Set fair expectations and limits with your son - make sure expectations and limits are clear and appropriate for your child's age and ability
•As your son gets older, give him more choices, freedom and responsibility
•Pick your battles wisely. Things like your son's safety and respect must always be a priority
•Don't expect your son to like all of your decisions. As a parent it is your job to make final decisions

Punishment & Discipline
•Talk to your son about consequences and being accountable for his actions
•Make the "punishment fit the crime." Avoid being too harsh even when you are angry
•Be consistent and realize that growing up as an African American male is tough. Oftentimes we are too punitive with our sons.

Teach Your Son How to Act (Time & Place)
•Teach your son by your example what to do, not just tell him what he should do
•Help your son learn the power of solving conflicts- Our sons can not physically fight their way out of every situation
•Distract your son from unsafe activities- prior to age 12, an alarming number of boys get involved in carrying weapons to school, experimenting with sex and drugs

Raising Him Alone is a source of inspiration for the millions of single mothers who struggle daily with the challenges of raising healthy and productive boys to become responsible men. The book is based on hundreds of interviews, focus groups, and discussions with single mothers who are raising boys.

In 1999 Miller co-founded the Urban Leadership Institute in Baltimore, which has developed an international reputation for providing professional development for organizations working with youth to address alternatives to a gang lifestyle and succumbing to peer pressure while promoting diversity and increasing academic achievement.


For more information on Raising Him Alone, the campaign schedule of events and resources visit, http://www.raisinghimalone.com/.   For more information on David Miller, visit http://www.urbanleadershipinstitute.com/. Purchase the book, “Raising Him Alone” here: http://www.raisinghimalone.com/products.htm