Dr. Dobson's Principles of Parenting

  1. If we want to see honesty, truthfulness, and unselfishness in our offspring, then these characteristics should be the conscious objectives of our early instructional process. --The Strong-Willed Child, pp. 55–56
  2. I believe the most valuable contribution a parent can make to a child is to instill in him or her a genuine faith in Jesus Christ. --Hide or Seek, p. 169
  3. Our task as parents is to begin very early to instruct our children on the true values of life: Love for all mankind, kindness, integrity, trustworthiness, truthfulness, and devotion to God. --Hide or Seek, p. 88
  4. Every child is entitled to hold up his or her head, not in haughtiness and pride, but in confidence and security. --Hide or Seek, p. 57
  5. Children just don't fit into a "to-do" list very well. It takes time to be an effective parent when children are small. It takes time to introduce them to good books--it takes time to fly kites and play punchball and put together jigsaw puzzles. It takes time to listen. --Hide or Seek, p. 64
  6. Those who control what young people are taught and what they experience--what they see, hear, think, and believe--will determine the future course for the nation. --Children at Risk, p. 27
  7. If there is one lesson parents need to learn most urgently, it is to guard what they say about beauty and intelligence in the presence of their children. --Hide or Seek, p. 61
  8. The solutions to the problems of modern parenthood can be found through the power of prayer and personal appeal to the Creator. --The New Dare to Discipline, p. 247
  9. Parents who recognize the inevitable war between good and evil will do their best to influence the child's choices--to shape his or her will and provide a solid spiritual foundation. --The Strong-Willed Child, p. 174
  10. The slow learner needs parents' help in finding his compensating skills, coupled with the assurance that his personal worth does not depend on productivity or successes in academia. --Hide or Seek, p. 102
  11. The objective of parenting is to take the raw material with which our babies arrive on this earth and then gradually mold it into mature, responsible, and God-fearing adults. --The New Dare to Discipline, p. 34
  12. Nothing invested in a child is ever lost. --From the Focus on the Family broadcast, "Let's Hide the Word," November 2, 1994
  13. Many confrontations can be avoided by building friendships with kids and thereby making them want to cooperate at home. --The New Dare to Discipline, p. 75
  14. The parent-child relationship is the first and most important social interaction a youngster will have, and the flaws and knots experienced there can often be seen later in life. --The New Dare to Discipline, p. 18
  15. If we ask, the Lord will place key individuals in the paths of our sons and daughters for whom we pray--people of influence who can nudge them in the right direction when they are beyond our reach and care. --Parenting Isn't for Cowards, p. 77
  16. Your contributions to your children and grandchildren could rank as your greatest accomplishments in life--or your most oppressive failures. -- Parenting Isn't for Cowards, p. 166
  17. The best source of guidance for parents can be found in the wisdom of the Judeo-Christian ethic, which originated with the Creator and was then handed down generation by generation from the time of Christ. --The New Dare to Discipline, p. 16
  18. Raising kids properly is one of life's richest challenges. It is not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the parental assignment. --The New Dare to Discipline, p. 244
  19. Fortunately, we are permitted to make a few mistakes with our children. No one can expect to do everything right, and it is not the few errors that destroy a child. It is the consistent influence of conditions throughout childhood. --The New Dare to Discipline, pp. 75–76
  20. In the matter of sex education, the best approach begins in early childhood and extends through the years, according to the policy of openness, frankness, and honesty. Only parents can provide this lifetime training. -- The New Dare to Discipline, p. 217
  21. Our sons and daughters will be grown so quickly and these days at home together will be nothing but a distant memory. Let's make the most of every moment. --Parenting Isn't for Cowards, p. 17
  22. Overcommitted parents must ask themselves three questions about every new activity that presents itself: (1) Is it worthy of our time? (2) What will be eliminated if it is added? (3) What will be its impact on our family life? --What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew about Women, p. 54
  23. Laughter is the key to survival during the special stresses of the childrearing years. --Parenting Isn't for Cowards, p. 101
  24. Children should grow up seeing their parents on their knees before God, talking to Him. --Parenting Isn't for Cowards, p. 104
  25. The last prayer which I heard my father pray was: "Thank you, God, for what we have . . . which we know we cannot keep." --Love for a Lifetime, p. 111
  26. Adolescence can be a more tranquil experience for the family that has prepared properly for its arrival. --Hide or Seek, p. 136
  27. Every day that goes by without spiritual training for your children is a day that can never be recaptured. --Straight Talk to Men, p. 71
  28. No job can compete with the responsibility of shaping and molding a new human being. --What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew about Women, p. 165
  29. Christian men pass on to their children a spiritual heritage that is more valuable than any monetary estate they could have accumulated. --Emotions: Can You Trust Them? p. 48
  30. We should give conscious thought to the reasonable, orderly transfer of freedom and responsibility, so that we are preparing the child each year for the moment of full independence which must come. --Dr. Dobson Answers Your Questions about Confident, Healthy Families, p. 55
  31. There's no doubt about it, raising children as a single parent can be the loneliest job in the world! --What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew about Women, p. 159
  32. The greatest delusion is to suppose that our children will be devout Christians simply because their parents have been. --(Letter to his son by James Dobson, Sr.) Straight Talk to Men, p. 76
  33. The overall objective during the final preadolescent period is to teach the child that actions have inevitable consequences. --The Strong-Willed Child, p. 61
  34. If Christian parents are perceived by a child as not being worthy of respect, then neither is their God, or their morals, or their government, or their country, or any of their values. --Dr. Dobson Answers Your Questions, p. 119
  35. Link a boy to the right man and he will seldom go wrong. --Parenting Isn't for Cowards, p. 165
  36. Parents today are much too willing to blame themselves for everything their children or adolescents do. --Parenting Isn't for Cowards, p. 68
  37. Because mothers and fathers represent "God" to their children, the fundamental element in teaching morality can be achieved through a healthy parental relationship during the early years. --The New Dare to Discipline, p. 228
  38. A family should maintain a variety of traditions that give each member a sense of identity and belonging. --From the Focus on the Family broadcast, "Let's Make a Memory," December 2, 1983
  39. It is impossible to overstate the need for prayer in the fabric of family life. --Love for a Lifetime, p. 54

topics discussed in this article

was this helpful? please rate it.

share this

 

related Articles

Explore Articles like this one

 

need help now?

We're here to assist you. Please call us.

877-732-6825

 

popular answers

Explore answers others are looking for.