Mistake 3: The Parenting FoolEven though it is often said, "A wise man learns from his own mistakes," it is actually a misnomer.Let me explain. The core reason for the remarkable rise in life expectancy is because people want to be healthy more than they want to be right.

If it ain't broke....Fix it. Parents, typically and unfortunately, ascribe to the view, "If it aint broke, don't fix it." And, theoretically, they are correct. The problem is, they have no idea whether their children are broke or not.

I would like to thank the Panitch family for this one: Dinner time should be family time. You should try to have family dinners together as many nights as you can. Or at the minimum once a week. But then make sure it is fun and slow and an engaging meal together. This is a suggestion: go round the table and ask each person the following questions:

When we lose perspective, we really lose it. 

Mistake 1: Daffodils sometimes grow with Roses. Every gardener understands that the care needed for a rose is not the same for a daffodil.  This parable is instructive on many levels:

How do you become empathetic without being pathetic? Empathy is a two edged sword, on the one hand you have to get into the mind space of your child and see the choices they are facing. This is different then feeling their pain -- although that needs to be taken into account.