eight essential responsibilities that parents must adhere to

1)Provide an environment that is SAFE.
(a) Keep your child free from physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse.
You should never have your children around people who will abuse them in any way, as well as conduct yourself in a way that will not hard your children.
(b) Keep unsafe objects locked up or out of reach of your child.
You should keep your guns, knives, and other harmful objects locked up and out of reach of your children.
(c) Get to know your child's caregivers (get references or background checks).
This includes the company that you keep. Anyone who has any kind of record should not be around your children much less assist in the care of your children.
(d) Correct any potential dangers around the house.
This pretty well speaks for itself, meaning make sure that harmful chemicals should be put away out of reach, if you have a step that is loose, fix it.
(e) Take Safety Precautions: Use smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, lock doors at night, always wear seatbelts, etc.
How many times does a person ride without a seatbelt, speed or for that matter commit any kind of violation before they are actually caught? Who really knows, but chances are when you are caught doing something against the law, it was not the first time you did it, just when you were caught doing it.

2)Provide your child with BASIC NEEDS.
(a) Water
(b) Plenty of nutritious foods
Proper nutrition is a must in order not only for a childs body to mature properly, but also for proper brain function and maturation. It is proven that children with better nutrition make better grades in school.
(c)Shelter
(d) A warm bed with sheets, blankets, and a pillow
(e) Medical care as needed/Medicine when ill
To add to this, you should alwasy consult with the pharmasist and know what to watch for in case your child suffers from side effects, as well as know what dangers a medication can present later down the line. The internet is also a good place to research medications.
(f) Clothing that is appropriate for the weather conditions
Clothing, be it purchased new or used should fit properly. Children should also have some say in what they wear. Our clothing reflectson our personality, and helps express more of who we are.
(g) Space (a place where he or she can go to be alone)
If possible children should have their own rooms. Not only does it provide a place where a child can be alone to reflect, think or study, it also gives a child a place to be responsible for.

3)Provide your child with SELF-ESTEEM NEEDS.
(a) Accept your child's uniqueness and respect his or her individuality.
As parents we need to understand that each child is his or her own person. One child may like spinach, whereas another child may not.
(b)Encourage (don't push) your child to participate in a club, activity, or sport.
Being a part of something, a team, or a group teaches children to work together as a team, competition encourages the ability to strive to win, which in turn gives children the drive to strive harder at other things in life. If a child is never a part of any kind of group or activity they will not learn the joy of competition and decrease the chances of achieving higher goals in life.
(c) Notice and acknowledge your child's achievements and pro-social behavior.
Children need affirmation of sucess, as well as good behaviour. If you only speak to your children about the negative they have done all they will see is negative. Chidren need to know when they have done well, it lifts their spirits and encourages them to want to do the right things more often.
(d)Encourage proper hygiene (to look good is to feel good, or so they say!).
Part of encouraging proper hygiene is to practive it yourself, as well as to supply your children with the supplies they need such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deoderant.
(e) Set expectations for your child that are realistic and age-appropriate.
Chidren need goals, even early on. Without any goals, they will not thrive to complete goals their lifetime through.
(f) Use your child's misbehavior as a time to teach, not to criticize or ridicule.
We all make mistakes, mistakes are to be learned from, children need to learn WHY their actions caused the reaction it did.

4)Teach your child MORALS and VALUES.
(a) Honesty
Practice honesty yourself and it will be easier to teach your children to be honest. Socially, children will be more accepted for telling the truth, be it good or bad than to be known for telling a lie.
(b)Respect
Respect can be practiced in many area's. Respect your childs space, your childs pocessions, their idea's and reactions. If you give respect, you will get respect.
(c) Responsibility
Even from a young age children need age appropriate responsibilities. In some cases rewards should be given to children who carry out responsibilities. Starting children at a young age to do things such as pick up their toys and put them into the proper place will carry throughout their entire lives. They will respect theirs and other people's things more if they are taught this early on.
(d) Compassion
By showing compassion we are showing children that we care and they are more apt to care for others when they see someone else who could use a little comassion. When children are sick or hurt is the most important time to show compassion. If a child is sick, cater to them, dote on them, do not make them fend for themselves or tell them to get up it will be ok when they scratch their knee.
(e) Patience
Remember you were a child once too, as well as not all people do things at the same pace as you do.
(f) Forgiveness
We all make mistakes, and we all have accidents. You must let your chidren know that things are going to be OK and that you may be upset with something they said or did, but that you forgive them and will work with them to get past it.
(g) Generosity
By teaching our children to generous, we give them another lifetime lesson. There are some parents out there who are more about getting the things they want to have, rather than giving a chid what they want. It is important to give to our children.

5)Develop MUTUAL RESPECT with your child.
(a) Use respectful language
Do not call your child names, even when you are mad.
(b) Respect his or her feelings
Yes children have feelings too, and sometimes those feelings will get hurt. But try to understand why their feelings are hurt.
(c) Respect his or her opinions
Right or wrong, their opinion counts too. Their opinion may not result in something positive, but if you know what they are thinking, if it is wrong you can talk to them to help them understand why it is wrong.
(d) Respect his or her privacy
(e) Respect his or her individuality

6)Provide DISCIPLINE which is effective and appropriate.
(a)Structured
If you round a child from something, stick to it. Chidren have to have a structure they know will be carried out.
(b) Consistent
Be consitant in ALL area's of raising your children, not just in times of disipline.
(c) Predictable
(d) Fair

7)Involve yourself in your child's EDUCATION.
(a)Communicate regularly with your child's teacher(s)
Learning does not stop at home. In order to help the teachers at school in teaching your chidren you need to know what area's a teacher see's your chid is weak and strong in and work to help your child with these things when they are at home with you. Attending parent teacher meetings is an important thing. Most teachers now have an email address through the school system, have that email address on hand and make sure they know yours so the two of you can communicate when you can not reach eachother or when a phone is not the best form of communication.
(b) Make sure that your child is completing his or her homework each night.
Teaching children does not stop when the last school bell of the day rings. A designated time and place needs to be in place for homework activity. Again consitancy and stability play a huge role in this. Setting aside a certain time and place that is the same, day in and day out to do homework is very important. Make sure you are there and setting aside the same time you set aside for them, in order to assist them. Make sure the area is clutter free, and free from distractions. Give your chidl your undevided attention during this time.
(c)Assist your child with his or her homework, but don't DO the homework.
Help your children by reading their school book yourself, assist them in searching on the internet if need be, as well as work through math problems with them explaining each step along the way to find the answer.
(d)Talk to your child each day about school (what is being studied, any interesting events,...etc.).
Always ask your children about their day. They do like to tell about all the things they did. Be interested when they find a paticular subject interesting, help them learn more about it.
(e) Recognize and acknowledge your child's academic achievements.
Children need praise, especially when it comes to school work.
8)Get to KNOW YOUR CHILD.
(a) Spend quality time together.
Watching TV is NOT enough. If your child is interested in fishing, take him or her fishing on a regular basis, this will also open the door to better communication.
(b)Be approachable to your child.
Your children need to know they can come to you with ANYTHING. Chidren need to know that you will listen to them and help them to better understand something, or be there to help them through a problem they may be having.
(c)Ask questions.
Always ask questions, it will help you to better understand what your children think, feel and understand.
(d) Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.