HOW TO BE A GOOD PARENT

***FIVE SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL PARENTS***

Parenting is one of the hardest jobs out there. The hours are long and the sick days are non-existent. Every parent has bad days, but these five secrets of successful parenting can make life with kids a whole lot easier . . .

#1.) TAKE A BREAK. When you have a screaming baby or a teenager with an attitude, it's hard to stay calm. So make sure your child is someplace safe, then take a ten-minute break from the stressful situation. Always protect your own sanity. You won't be a good parent without it.

#2.) SET A TIMER. When your kids are being brats, tell them you'll commit ten or fifteen minutes to helping them . . . but THAT'S IT. Chances are, things will calm down before their time's up, but if not, the dinging of a timer can signal to young kids that it's time to move on.

#3.) GET CREATIVE. As a parent, it's important to experiment and find out what works. Your infant might calm down when you turn on John Mayer. Your teenager might open up to you over a latte at Starbucks. The point is, you won't know until you try.

--Just remember, what works today WON'T necessarily work tomorrow.

#4.) SET EXPECTATIONS. With older kids . . . even 3 and 4-year-olds . . . you might be surprised at what they can accomplish with a little motivation. But be realistic. Your 4-year-old isn't going to play quietly for two hours, but 20 minutes isn't out of the question.

#5.) IMAGINE A PERFECT DAY. Write down what your ideal day as a parent would be. Then think about what needs to happen to get there. Knowing what you want will show you what you can improve on. And many times, little changes can make a BIG difference.(SheKnows.com)