Parents Vs. Professionals
If you are like most parents, you know that, as the adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child.
Think of how many professionals who regularly come alongside you to support your developing child - teachers, pediatricians, intervention specialists, speech pathologists, clergy, coaches, counselors, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, tutors...the list goes on.
The role these professionals play cannot be replaced in ensuring your child's health and well-being.
At the same time, it is important to remember that when it comes to influence - when it is Parent v. Professional - Parent wins. Every. Time.
For starters, without your wisdom and good sense as a parent, your child might not be afforded the chance to work with the above-named professionals.
But going even further, think of all the ways that you can influence your child, day-in and day-out:
Modeling: Thanks to the work of psychologists like Albert Bandura, we know that kids will repeat behavior simply having watched that behavior. What you do, in those moments you may not even realize it, can have a profound effect on your child. Have you ever said to yourself, "That sounds just like my mother coming out of my mouth?" Well - there is a reason why - and that is social modeling!
Environment: Kids are SO tied to their environment. Think about it. Compare the amount of freedom you have to your child when it comes to your schedule, where you go, what you eat, what you choose to do with your time. Kids are, to use some psychobabble, context-dependent. They are tied to and shaped by their environment. And guess who (for the most part) selects your child's environment? YOU. The kinds of experiences we afford our kids, the kinds of friendships we facilitate, and the structure we provide our children can have a huge influence on their mood and behavior.
Discipline: Parents are uniquely tasked, like none other in a child's life, to instruct a child as to the difference between right and wrong behavior, and to support them in engaging in right behavior in all the different places they go. Discipline requires a lot from parents. It requires that parents are fair, are self-aware, and are consistent. (Look for a blog post out later this week "Discipline 101" for more on this topic.)
So do kids need professionals? Of course they do.
But they also need skilled parents who will walk alongside them each day. Keep following this blog series for tips on how to be that skilled parent for your child.