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Bored Panda reached out and spoke about parenting with the author of the thread, Reddit user SaladSlayer00, as well as with Samantha Scroggin, founder of the "Walking Outside in Slippers" blog. Read on for our insightful interviews with both of them. Hopefully, what they said will help present and future parents.
SaladSlayer00 revealed to Bored Panda that they created the thread because they were imagining how they could potentially behave as a parent now that their relationship is getting serious. "Also, I recently lost my father and it was somewhat comforting to see how almost everything meaningful users suggested had already been said to me by my family. What started as a, 'Hey, look at all the karma I'm getting!' turned into a moving and wholesome thread that I'm very proud of," they said.
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According to the redditor, having a strong bond with your children is vital. "I think that many parents confuse this with a pale imitation of friendship that by definition just can't work. There needs to be absolute trust and acceptance no matter what, but still, the right amount of objectivity and distance to evaluate situations, and make kids understand that after all, their parents have the duty to correct their actions and worry about them."
They continued: "It's not easy, but I think parents might help their children open up to them by showing a positive, reassuring attitude and enthusiasm for their passions."
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Because some children, especially teens, can find it difficult to accept advice from parents (even if that advice is brilliant), we wanted to find out the ways around this obstacle. SaladSlayer00 said that advice shouldn't be given to kids without explaining the reasons behind it.
"I think that the best way to make children understand that you see them as intelligent human beings is taking the time to help them see the whole picture without making a 'no' look like a meaningless refusal, but a well-thought-out choice that is only made with their interest in mind.
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Meanwhile, "Walking Outside in Slippers" founder Samantha said that repetition can help kids learn. "I hope if we just keep repeating ourselves on the issues that matter most to us, and personally demonstrate those qualities we want our kids to have, they'll get the message eventually," she said. Samantha added that one of the biggest challenges is that kids need lots of validation and they're always vying for their parents' attention.
But what are the most important things about life that Samantha wants her own children to know? "There's so much to tell my children about life. And there is so much I'm still learning myself. I feel like as I grow older, I realize just how little all of us know about everything. We're all trying to figure it out as we go and find some fulfillment and happiness in the process. I think the most important lesson I've learned and would want to pass along to my children is that no one is better than anyone else. Racism, sexism, religious discrimination, and other forms of discrimination are never OK. We must stay vigilant of how we treat each other, and our attitudes and beliefs," she shared.
