Advancing Parenting is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the quality of parenting in communities. We place concise and unambiguous parenting tips in public spaces, including but not limited to windows of stores, offices, restaurants, automobiles, lawn signs, and electronic billboards. This, in an effort to raise the quality of parenting and reduce child abuse, substance abuse, domestic violence, crime, and improve educational outcomes for children. At this time we are only active in Bakersfield, CA. Below are examples. The complete list of parenting tips follows the photographs.
Choose the parenting tip(s) you like and we will provide it at no cost.
1. Provide your children with a good mother/good father by marrying someone you believe will make a good parent.
2. Don't start a family immediately after marrying. Wait awhile.
3. Don’t abuse drugs or alcohol. Chemically impaired parents are a source of embarrassment, shame, stress, and violence for children.
4. Don’t ever tell your child that he or she is stupid, ugly, good-for-nothing, worthless, etc.
5. Don’t physically, sexually, verbally, or psychologically abuse your child.
6. When you tell your child to do something, see to it that it gets done promptly.
7. Set a fantastic example for your children.
8. Use the best manners and train your children to follow your example.
9. Assign your children age-appropriate chores beginning when they’re old enough to pick up their toys and continue this practice until they leave home.
10. Establish a code of conduct. If you don’t, your children will adopt one that may endanger their lives and the lives of others.
11. Have engaging conversations with your children by listening attentively and responding thoughtfully.
12. Love your child, and express that love frequently in little ways. Hugs, caresses, a smile, a hand on the shoulder can often communicate feelings as effectively as words.
13. Praise your children's effort, behavior, and achievement sincerely and appropriately when they deserve it.
14. Don’t “label” your children…the irresponsible one, the wild one, the talented one, the smart one, the lazy one, etc.
15. Check your children’s homework religiously and be there for them when they need help with schoolwork and projects.
16. Don’t make derogatory remarks about your children to other people while in their presence.
17. Read, pay bills, do laundry, clean the house…do anything except watch television while your children do their homework.
18. Don’t allow your children to patronize gutter media, that is, television, movies, and games that portray base, vulgar, or gratuitously violent behavior.
19. Introduce your children to media that portrays honesty, sacrifice, loyalty, perseverance, modesty, love, humility, courage, courtesy, respect, and reverence.
20. Don’t fight or argue with your spouse in front of the children if it’s the kind of thing that would frighten the average child.
21. Severely restrict all television viewing.
22. Don’t hold one sibling up as an example to another. In other words, don’t say, “Why can’t you be more like your sister?”
23. Never draw comparisons between your child and another family member who may be a poor role model. In other words, never say, “You’re just like your no-good jailbird dad.”
24. When you hear these words…Can I help? Can I do it? Can I watch? Say yes, if it’s safe.
25. Hold education, hard work, and achievement in the highest esteem.
26. Don’t excuse or make excuses for your child’s poor behavior.
27. Don't threaten punishments you are unwilling or incapable of carrying out, and don't fail to carry out a punishment when it’s called for.
28. Make your children aware of their strengths and don’t draw attention to their weaknesses.
29. Don’t bribe your child in order to elicit good behavior.
30. Teach your children that an emergency is the only reason they may interrupt a conversation.
31. Speak quietly and teach your children to speak quietly.
32. Tell your children that you answer questions one time and one time only, and then stick to it.
33. Spend time with your children. Play catch together. Do yard work together. Shop together. Wash the car together. Go for bike rides together. Go to church together. Wash the dog together. Play board games together.
34. Don’t give in to a whining or tantruming child. If they’re having a fit in a restaurant or other public place, take the child outside and distract him or her with something interesting.
35. Make sure your children get sufficient sleep. Most kids require a minimum of 8.5 hours each night.
36. Teach your children to pick up after themselves.
37. Have high expectations for your child’s effort, behavior, and achievement and communicate them clearly.
38. Allow your children to make mistakes and see to it they learn from them.
39. When opportunities present themselves, teach your child problem-solving skills, first by example then by guided practice.
40. Orient your child toward the future and preparing himself or herself for its challenges.
41. Allow your children experience the logical consequences of their actions, if it’s safe.
42. Involve and participate with your children in sports and group activities.
43. Respect your children’s privacy by knocking before entering so as not to interrupt their dressing. The popular notion that children’s bedrooms are their private property is dangerous nonsense.
44. Introduce your children to the arts, encourage them to participate, and support their efforts.
45. Take your children when you donate blood, recycle cans, contribute to a food bank, donate clothing, etc.
46. Take your children to the library regularly and read to them daily, beginning when they’re infants and continue until they're reading on their own.
47. Teach your children how to do things for themselves instead of doing everything for them.
48. Instill in your children the belief that success in life is due to hard work rather than luck or inherited traits.
49. Encourage children to save up or earn money for things they desire.
Call (661) 477-1513 or email us at ddooley@advancingparenting.org to order a lawn sign, bumper sticker, or window message. There is no cost and we will adhere the tip to your window.
Advancing Parenting...we take parenting education off bookshelves and put it in public where it belongs.
