Valuable Parenting Tips: Five Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Life

Whether or not you actively and positively influence the shaping of your children's future, their future will be influenced by someone.

In his book "Family First," counselor and author Dr. Phil McGraw wrote: "Your role as a parent is the highest, noblest calling you will ever have in your life. What's more, I believe that you can and will rise to that challenge if given the proper knowledge and tools for this important task.

"I know that you already possess the most powerful and important ingredients to succeeding. That critical factor is an unconditional love and devotion you have for your child. But it takes much, much more than love and good intentions because you aren't the only influence in your child's life."

All children need guidance. Don't expect them to just follow in your footsteps. Your children may not have the same talents or interests you have. Recognize their individual differences, talents and interests, while focusing on the following:

Set a good example. There are no perfect parents, and you won't always set the perfect example. In his book "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," consultant and author Stephen Covey wrote: "Good families - even great families - are off track 90 percent of the time! The key is that they have a sense of destination. They know what the 'track' looks like. And they keep coming back to it time and again." Determine how you want your child to see you in terms of your behavior, attitudes, work ethic, and interactions with others. When you see your child mimicking what you've exemplified - even in little ways - you'll know you're on the right track.

Encourage reading. There's always time for television and negative influences, but too often there's little time set aside for reading. In today's Internet world, libraries seem to be utilized less and less. But going to the library and pouring over books and magazines lends itself to developing good reading habits in a way that Internet reading never will.