KIWI PARENTS RIGHT UP WITH THE BEST DESPITE THE GENERATION
GAP

Bringing up children is a subject we hear more about than ever.

Why? Because the world around us is changing fast. Our front page
story on Saturday expressing the concern of medical sources, police
and others about the damage being done by cannabis use was disturbing.

Bringing up children these days is not always easy. And probably the
thing most Kiwi parents are wondering about is how their children are
coping with the everyday hassle of growing up.

We make this point because of the many parents who have expressed
worry about parenting problems in general. Cannabis is a worry, so,
too, is binge drinking. And there are new traps on the streets,
addiction to computer games, the internet and all manner of
distractions.

Some fear these factors are cutting us off from our kids. And there is
no doubt that technology has moved so far and so fast that we're not
aware of what they're watching on television, the video games they're
playing or the internet sites they access.

We're in an age of information saturation on everything from cooking
to raising a child.

We're inclined to believe that if we follow the recipe everything will
turn out fine. Sometimes it's better to just follow your instincts.

We worry about our kids becoming problem children because they have a
tantrum. But children act childishly sometimes and that's OK.

Why should they behave perfectly all the time? And another thing . . .
don't scream back at the kids. Try to keep calm at all times.

Remember, too . . . you can't put any parental technique into practice
until you've made sure your own attitude is right.

One of the problems is that sometimes we are competitive parents and
project our wishes onto our children. They shouldn't become status
symbols, a measure of success like our house or car.

And stop stressing about perfection. If we keep love and respect at
the heart of our relationship with our children, we won't go far wrong.

We believe Kiwi parents are right up with the best.