Stupendous parenting assumes intensive responsibilities. As biological producers, all parents should respond to the natural and unfolding roles of parenting. Parents form emotional and physical bonding with offspring, sometimes until death do they part. With stupendous parenting, there is no end to parenting.

Stupendous parenting is a wonderment. Parents put completely the needs of children before their own. They make sacrifices that require time and finances. This is expected of them wherever: at games, concerts, recitals, graduations, etc.

Statistics cite stupendous parenting as being friendlier to children. American economist and feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) said: “A concept is stronger than a fact.” Stupendous parenting is both a strong concept and a fact.

But stupendous parents fail. Some fail miserably. Children run afoul of civil and moral law (school dropouts and unwed pregnancies); gang-related activity is not uncommon; kids disrespect societal values; bad child behavior is sometimes rampant.

In various circles, it is difficult to advance the idea that parenting is a mom-dad collaboration. The norm some children witness is that dads disappear after birth. Dads are parental afterthoughts. As such, parenting become a mom’s role.

Judge Wade McCree of the Michigan Wayne County Circuit Court wants to alter this cultural pattern. He is sentencing various delinquent dads to watch the “Maury” television show to motivate them to being responsible men. After DNA tests reveal paternity issues, a few of the dads benefit from the show’s raucous focus on them. These men willfully become “real” dads.

Here are seven suggestions to assist in making stupendous parenting a stronger reality throughout the United States:

1. Parenting must be fully attached to the core needs and well-being of children. Business and industry must do a better job of promoting parental connectivity.

2. Parents must model attitudes and lasting behavior for their children. Stupendous parents and their offspring must strive to effect these desired results.

3. Spiritually blessed and filled parents do wonders. These qualities will possibly rub onto children. Their children’s friends might be directionally influenced, too.

4. Parents must become more bodacious in influencing children toward self-responsible ideals regarding their thoughts, words and conduct.

5. Children must be imbued with what is humanely desirable for them. Their value systems are then aligned accordingly.

6. Parents must not be reluctant to seek psychological, medical and spiritual intervention when problematic family issues arise. This is being consistent with stupendous parenting.

7. Stupendous parenting is not stress-free. Commit to it anyway.

Stupendous parenting is serious adult behavior. Wrote American journalist and author Dorothy Thompson (1894-1961): “There is nothing to fear except the persistent refusal to find out the truth, the persistent refusal to analyze the causes of happenings.” Stupendous parenting puts parenting into a clearer perspective.

Reach T&D Columnist Howard D. Hill, Ph.D., via www.educationconsultant@sc.rr.com.

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