From grandparents who mean well but interfere with how you raise your child to picky eaters, how to deal with temper tantrums and what you need to do to keep your child safe as they get more mobile, the parenting issuesyou’ll face don’t get any easier as time goes on.

Through it all, you’ll want to get parenting advice that makes sense and suits your situation. It’s all hard work where you’re learning as you go but mastering balanced parenting is the most important task you’ll ever attempt and good communication is a top priority. If you learn how to keep the lines open when they are younger, you’ll be a more effective parent going forward.

Signals

Look for the signals. Being aware of when and where your child is most likely to share their thoughts and feelings puts you in the pocket to understand what’s really going on with them. Do they open up in the car or is it more likely they’ll be talkative at bed or bath time? Making yourself available when the time seems right and letting them know you’re ready, willing, able and interested in what they’ve got to say will

pay off.
You’ll need to clear your own plate to be effective. Parents have lots of grown-up issues to deal with that can make them look angry or defensive to a child who’s looking to see how open you are to them. Being completely engaged will encourage your son or daughter to open up with what might start out to be only small bits and pieces of the story they’ve got to tell.

Good parenting is also about negotiating. If you find yourself caught in what seems like a never ending tug of war with your child, here’s some parenting advice to ensure you’ll always come out the winner.