It is the desire of every parent to see their child grow up to be physically, socially, and emotionally healthy. Most parents also want their child to care for others and be a good citizen in the community. From the moment a child is born, you can see an instant bond between parent and child. The creation of life in a new born baby is itself a miracle. It is where parents’ hopes and dreams for the child begin.

 

And there is always a fascination when the child learns something new - the first smile, the first words, the first crawl, the first walk.

 

Parents willingly sacrifice their time, energy, and money to devote themselves to the child at their very vulnerable age. But raising children in this day and age is itself a challenge. Parents seem to have so little time to give of themselves to the child as much as they wish to. Many parents juggle their time with careers, managing the household and personal finances, self-care and raising children. Despite these challenges, parents are coping as well as they could, although statistics also show higher incidences of mental health risk, poor character formation and lack of social and life skills among children and youths.

 

Never has there been more published research and information on parenting and child development than now. These resources are publicly available on the internet, physical and virtual libraries, and news media. Parents can find what they need to feel more empowered to shepherd and guide the development of their child. Many of those who have made the effort can testify to the positive results in their children.