“Parenting has nothing to do with perfection. Perfection isn't even the goal. Not for ourselves or for our children. Learning together to live well in an imperfect world, loving each other despite or even because of our own imperfections, and growing as humans while we grow our little humans, those are the goals. So don't ask yourself at the end of the day if you did everything right. Ask yourself what you learned and how well you loved, then grow from your answer. That is perfectly imperfect parenting.” LoveLifeChildrenParentDisciplineParentingImperfectChild Author:L.R. Knost
“Join them in their world when they're little so you'll be welcome in their world when they get big.” PlayParentImaginationChildhoodParentingChild Author:L.R. Knost
“Respecting a child teaches them that even the smallest, most powerless, most vulnerable person is worthy of respect. And that is a lesson our world desperately needs to learn.” WorldParentChildhoodRespectParentingVulnerableChildPowerless Author:L.R. Knost
“Peaceful parenting is not permissive. It is not lazy. It is not idealistic. Peaceful parenting is thoughtful, gentle guidance based on respect for the individuality of humans, no matter how small; knowledge of developmental norms and age-appropriate expectations; acceptance of the imperfections of all humans, parent and child alike, and of life itself; and understanding of the unique personality and needs of each individual child. Peaceful parenting takes intention, creativity, self-control, self-awareness, connection, communication, cooperation, and sacrifice. Peaceful parenting is an investment in a peaceful future.” ChildrenPeaceParentChildhoodRespectParentingPeacefulCooperationChild Author:L.R. Knost
“Not coincidentally, the best way to parent a child is the same as the best way to treat other humans... with kindness, respect, compassion, honesty, acceptance, and peace.” PeaceParentCompassionKindnessChildhoodHumanRespectParentingChild Author:L.R. Knost
“The Dream I Dream For You, My Child ... I hope you search for four-leaf clovers, grin back at Cheshire moons, breathe in the springtime breezes, and dance with summer loons. I hope you gaze in wide-eyed wonder at the buzzing firefly and rest beneath the sunlit trees as butterflies fly by. I hope you gather simple treasures of pebbles, twigs, and leaves and marvel at the fragile web the tiny spider weaves. I hope you read poetry and fairy tales and sing silly, made-up songs, and pretend to be a superhero righting this world's wrongs. I hope your days are filled with magic and your nights with happy dreams, and you grow up knowing that happiness is found in simple things. The dream I dream for you, my child, as you discover, learn, and grow, is that you find these simple joys wherever in life you go.” LifeDreamInspirational QuotesHopeParentChildhoodFutureHumanParentingChild Author:L.R. Knost
“Don’t forget to bring your funny bone along on your parenting journey. Humor is a universal language that topples walls, connects hearts, and opens the door to communication and cooperation.” ChildrenHumorParentCommunicationHumanParentingCooperationChild Author:L.R. Knost
“BIG connections are created by caring about the little things that matter to little people” LifeChildrenParentChildhoodHumanParentingConnectionChild Author:L.R. Knost
“Wars are waged by people who were parented by someone. Crimes are committed by people who were parented by someone. Brutality is inflicted by people who were parented by someone. Nations are led by people who were parented by someone. Hope, help, and healing are all shared by people who were parented by someone. We, the parents of today, are that someone for our children, and our children will one day be that someone for their children. We may not be able to eliminate all war, end all crime, or stop all brutality, but sowing peace, kindness, compassion, and empathy into our children is the single most powerful way we can each be someone who changes the world for the better.” ChildrenWarMotherFatherParentCompassionKindnessCrimeBrutality Author:L.R. Knost
“Parenting our children peacefully is a gift of peace to the world. Children learn what they live and live what they learn.” WorldChildrenPeaceParentKindnessParentingChild Author:L.R. Knost
“One day your child will make a mistake or a bad choice and run to you instead of away from you and in that moment you will know the immense value of peaceful, positive, respectful parenting.” ParentMistakeChildhoodPositiveParentingPeacefulChildRespectful Author:L.R. Knost
“Children are compassionate by nature. Engaging their compassion with communication and connection instead of igniting their self-preservation with threats and punishments is not only more effecting in guiding their behavior, it's also more effective in growing their humanity.” ChildrenParentCompassionCommunicationParentingObedienceConnectionChildPunishGuiding Author:L.R. Knost
“Taking care of myself doesn't mean 'me first.' It means 'me, too.” LifeChildrenParentParentingMotherhoodSelf CareNewborn Author:L.R. Knost
“Respond to your children with love in their worst moments their broken moments their angry moments their selfish moments their lonely moments their frustrated moments their inconvenient moments because it is in their most unlovable human moments that they most need to feel loved.” LoveChildrenParentDisciplineParentingChildInconvenientChallenging Author:L.R. Knost
“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it's our job to share our calm, not join their chaos.” ParentChildhoodEmotionsParentingChaosChild Author:L.R. Knost
“YELLING silences your message. Speak quietly so your children can hear your words instead of just your voice.” ChildrenParentChildhoodDisciplineParentingYelling Author:L.R. Knost
“Every day in a hundred small ways our children ask, "Do you hear me?" "Do you see me?" "Do I matter?" Their behavior often reflects our response.” HeartParentChildhoodBehaviorParentingResponseChild Author:L.R. Knost
“Every strength has a corresponding challenge and every challenge has a corresponding strength. The inattentive child may be a deep thinker. The uncooperative child may be a good leader. The emotionally-charged child may be gifted with exceptional empathy. The rule-defying child may be an out-of-the-box innovator. When faced with challenging behaviors, look for the corresponding strength, and focus on nurturing that gift while providing gentle guidance and coping techniques for the challenging areas. That is the essence of working with, instead of against, our children.” ParentChildhoodDisciplineParentingPeacefulGentleGuidanceChildNurture Author:L.R. Knost
“It will take just one generation choosing gentle, compassionate, respectful parenting to change the world for all future generations. This is our time. Our chance is now. Let's do our part to change the world, one little heart at a time.” WorldHeartParentChangeChildhoodParentingChildGeneration Author:L.R. Knost
“Focus more on who your child is than what your child does. Remember, you're growing a person, not fixing a problem.” ProblemParentFocusChildhoodParentingChild Author:L.R. Knost
“Little eyes watch what we do far more than little ears hear what we say. It is how we live, not how we demand they live, that has the most impact on who our children will become.” LifeChildrenParentDisciplineParentingLiveChild Author:L.R. Knost
“Listen instead of lecture. Communicate instead of command. Relate instead of retaliate. Be flexible instead of being fixated on getting your own way. Seek to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. In short, behave the way you want your children to learn to behave.” ChildrenProblemParentCommunicationDisciplineBehaviorParentingChildSolution Author:L.R. Knost
“The ultimate gift we can give the world is to grow our tiny humans into adult humans who are independent thinkers, compassionate doers, conscious questioners, radical innovators, and passionate peacemakers. Our world doesn't need more adults who blindly serve the powerful because they've been trained to obey authority without question. Our world needs more adults who question and challenge and hold the powerful accountable.” WorldParentPowerfulAuthorityParentingChallengeQuestionAccountable Author:L.R. Knost
“Night waking isn't the sign of a bad baby. It's the sign of a normal baby. Nighttime needs are as valid as daytime needs and nighttime parenting as necessary as daytime parenting. Crying is communication, not manipulation. Respond to your baby's cries, even if all they need is to know you're there. You're not being manipulated. You're being a parent.” MotherNightFatherParentSleepCommunicationBabyCryingNewbornToddler Author:L.R. Knost
“Don't ask yourself at the end of the day if you did everything right. Ask yourself how well you loved and then grow from your answer. Repeat for a lifetime.” LoveLifeChildrenNightParentSleepParenthoodChildDay Author:L.R. Knost
“When you see a dandelion do you see a wish or a weed? When you hear a child cry do you hear a need or a demand? When you wash a sticky face do you feel blessed or burdened? As parents, our perspective determines our response, and our response determines our children's reality. So let's wish wishes, meet needs, and count blessings to make childhood a magical, peaceful, joy-filled reality for both our children and ourselves.” LifeWishPeaceParentChildhoodParentingChildMagical Author:L.R. Knost