HELP

A wise parent knows when to look for help.

—Overheard on a New York City bus

There are times as parents that we’re simply baffled. Perhaps our child is acting out at school, or not trying as hard in her schoolwork as she used to. Our attempts to reason and discipline seem to have no effect. We can’t simply shrug our shoulders and give up; our child’s future is at stake.

Let’s commit to look for help wherever we can find it—at the principal’s office, in a parent-teacher conference, in age-appropriate child-rearing books. There are people who have expertise that we don’t; they may furnish clues to our child’s behavior we hadn’t considered and have suggestions and strategies for dealing with it. It is no slight on our abilities as parents if we have to look for help; on the contrary, it bespeaks the greatest devotion to our child and sends a message of commitment and faith from which our child will prosper.

Call to Action: On this day, I will take five minutes to consider whether I am stumped by any of my child’s behavior. If so, I pledge to seek help in handling the situation.