Provide Lessons in How to Respond

• Adults and children who react strongly to situations, versus responding intelligently, will have a lot of stress in their lives. For example, parents who desire well-behaved children, need to act out calmness, good communication and kindness.
  
  

Help Children Learn Respect

• Children must be taught sensitivity. If parents value the feelings of others--and the goals and needs of other people--their children will pick up on this. Parents who demonstrate respectful behaviors will help children "mirror" these actions.
  
  

Value Family and Work/Life Balance

• Children who learn to value family time, work/life balance and building friendships grow up to create healthier families. Parents who value work over family (or money over integrity) will probably see their kids behaving in unhealthy ways growing up and later in their adult lives.
  
  

Forego Perfection and Teach Reality

• Children will not learn to overcome problems, if parents hide all problems. Allow children to see you wrestle with issues, get upset, calm yourself down and figure out good solutions. Adults do not need to value perfectionism. Behaviors derived from believing everything must be perfect won't work well in real life.
  
  

Value a Sense of Humor

• Parents who take themselves too seriously hurt their children. Children who don't value humor and the lighter side of life grow up to become difficult marriage partners and difficult co-workers.
  
  

Show That Behaviors Have Consequences

• Adults should help children see that behaviors directly affect outcomes. When adults act out wrongful behaviors--such as losing their tempers too quickly or lying--children will become confused. The best parents will model thoughtful, intelligent behavior especially in extremely stressful circumstances.