Days Gone By

Ever get to remembering days gone by? If you're human I bet you do. And if you are like me, the older you get, the more often you do this. Days gone by that I think of most are when my daughter, now almost 19, was just a little baby, toddler, and preschooler. She was so much fun when she was little. Not that she isn't fun anymore, but I had her all to myself back in those days. She was a talker, and had beautiful blonde wavy hair. Big blue eyes, and she always had a smile ready for anyone. I raised Kaili much like I am currently raising my son. I disciplined her when necessary, taught her to be kind to others, and always remember her manners. Manners you say!? What's the point? Well let me just say, manners can get you lots of things, and to lots of places you might not otherwise get. Manners make life easier. Being polite, and well mannered can go a long way with people. Most people anyway. Not teaching your child to be polite, use their manners, and to serve others is a grave mistake made by far too many parents. I am not saying that teaching these things is easy, just very worth your while.
I always encouraged Kaili to do what was right! And she grew up knowing the difference between right and wrong, and having a desire to do the right thing. As a result, her best friends have always admired that about her, respected her choices to do what is right, and really like the fact that she is a loyal, trustworthy friend/person. In all her 19 yrs, My daughter has only lied to me twice. One time being when she was only 3. I grabbed that bull by the horns and took care of it right away. She knew that I meant business and that I wasn't going to put up with any sort of story telling whatsoever.
Some of the most important tools for raising honest, kind, hard working kids:

• Consistancy
• Honesty
• Discipline
• Responsibility
• Accountability
• Positive reinforcement
• Tough Love
• High Standards
• Leading by example

These are just a few, there are so many more. I always have room for improvement in each area at any given time, but I try my best every day to be aware of where I am in each area.

Raising Kaili wasn't always a walk in the park, but for sure, it was fun, fulfilling, challenging, joyful, and I miss it. I would never trade that time for all the money in the world.