Every child is different, so sometimes you have to take different approaches with each of your kids. You cannot spend too much time trying to be only their friend. When you do that, you will start to lose them as your children. When you can balance being their friend and being their parent, you will have the best relationship with them and the best chance of a normal life. Habits are difficult to break, this is why the earlier you teach your child to develop good, safe habits in life, the easier it is to make these habits last for a lifetime. Being a parent is a wonderful thing, but it's not always easy. With a little extra effort and the right kind of knowledge, however, there's no reason why you wouldn't be able to look back at this precious time spent with your children and feel proud of the job you've done and the people they've become thanks to you.
