| Many parents may not be aware of what it | | | | |
| takes to be an intentional parent. Of course, | | | | Lack of know-how is another challenge facing |
| parenting is an ongoing process that teaches | | | | parents. Parents will often be at a loss to |
| parents new things each day and leaves much | | | | visualize what intentional parenting looks |
| more that needs to be learnt before they | | | | and feels like, and what it all about is. |
| become a good parent. With their busy | | | | This means that parents' lack a plan of |
| schedules, it is hard enough for them to be a | | | | action and it can be compared to driving in a |
| good parent and intentional parenting may | | | | foreign country without a map for guidance. |
| seem quite daunting and unattainable at | | | | To get over this shortcoming, parents need to |
| first. | | | | read, research, and utilize resources to get |
| | | | started on the road to intentional parenting. |
| Not Necessarily Perfect Parenting | | | | It may even necessitate changing their |
| | | | strategy and approach towards the child. |
| Intentional parenting may not be perfect | | | | |
| parenting; instead, it refers to a parent | | | | After developing the vision and plan of |
| that has mentally determined that some action | | | | action, there is still the task of |
| or result related to parenting need to be | | | | implementing the intentional parenting |
| performed. In other words, the intentional | | | | concept. Being accountable is a good first |
| parent is an "on purpose" parent. Parents | | | | step in this direction because when the |
| often tend to react to their children rather | | | | parent deviates from the path of intentional |
| than have a plan that they have prepared in | | | | parenting and may be slipping, accountability |
| advance. This is a tendency that parents | | | | will enable the parent to get back on course |
| readily acknowledge, but do little about. | | | | and escape the mistake of falling out of |
| | | | habit. |
| Some reasons that contribute to intentional | | | | |
| parenting being difficult to achieve are | | | | With all these well meaning thoughts and |
| vision, know-how and accountability. | | | | ideas in place, it only remains to act with |
| Furthermore, the biggest obstacle to | | | | energy and time which, for busy parents, |
| intentional parenting begins in the mind - | | | | seems to be always in short supply. |
| there may not be enough time for | | | | Nevertheless, with courage one can become a |
| contemplating what hangs in the balance. In | | | | good parent. Every parent should be able to |
| other words, parents often fail to realize | | | | muster up enough courage and take the |
| what can be gained and what is lost if they | | | | intentional parenting path, to achieve |
| do not invest in their children through | | | | betterment of both child and parent. |
| intentional parenting. | | | | |