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1. Compassion: See me as a work-in-progress. Remember, I just got here. So, I’m still figuring things out. You too?
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2. Vulnerability: Recognize my needs by recognizing your own unmet needs and healing old wounds.
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3. Connection: Our relationship shapes me, not a set of rules.
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4. Authenticity: Be real, and you will preserve my true self. I don’t expect you to know it all. Just be real with me.
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5. Awareness: Know yourself. That way you’ll understand your reactions and fears...and mine.
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6. Empathy: Put yourself in my booties. It soothes me; it heals and it makes me (and you) feel really good.
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7. Self-empathy: Feel for yourself. You have feelings and needs too. Embracing your own vulnerability is how you embrace my vulnerability.
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8. Trust: Believe in me and trust in your own gut. Otherwise you’ll get really confused listening to everyone’s opinion about what to do with me. I’ll mistrust my own ability to know what I need and trust that you’ll respond.
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9. Respect. Don’t squash my spirit. It’s the only one I’ve got.
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10.Acceptance: Embrace your flaws. If you were perfect, you’d have nothing to teach me about being human.
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11.Restoration: Repair the breaks. Let’s start anew every day.
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12.Gratitude: Enjoy the ride without riding the brakes.
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13.Inspiration: Parent inspired. Let me give you ideas about how to parent me according to my nature.
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14.Forgiveness: Forgiveness is a gift to me and yourself. If you let go of unrealistic expectations, you’ll enjoy parenting me a lot more than if you held me (and yourself) to an impossible standard.
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15.Courage: Nevermind the Jones’s. Stop comparing. Stop competing. Muster your wits to stand up for yourself--and me. Live your most extraordinary parenting journey with “no regrets.” That’s the best gift you could give me.
