their children grow to the maximum potential.

A child's mind and body grow together.

A growing body needs good food, rest, exercise and a safe place to live.

For the mind to grow a child needs to feel safe, secure and loved; to be with other people; and to see and do new things. Children learn to think and understand more as their minds grow. They learn to get along with, like and trust other people; and they learn to feel good about themselves and to love and care about others.

The mind and body must be nourished equally.

In order to grow emotionally, children need to feel safe. They need to know that nothing and no one will hurt them. They need to know that when they need care or comfort, they will get it. They need to be told and shown that they are loved and are important to someone. When children feel safe, secure and loved, they can become happy, independent, loving people.

What you do as a parent, matters.

If you criticise your children, they learn to feel worthless and to pick on others.

If you praise and encourage your children's efforts they learn that they can do the things they try.

If you frighten your children or make them fear you, they learn to be afraid and to worry that people will hurt them.

If you let your children see you angry and fighting, they learn to fight too.

If you protect your children and help them to feel safe, they learn to trust themselves and the people around them.

If you let your children know that they are wanted and loved, they learn to love others.

It takes hard work and hard thinking to be a good parent. Parenthood is always harder than anyone thinks it will be. Children learn by trying and doing, and trying again. So do parents.

Nobody is perfect.

Trust your own judgment. Believe that you can be a good parent to your children. When you like yourself and trust yourself, you make it easier for your children to like and trust themselves -- and this makes it easier for you to teach them, and for them to learn from you.

Child Development Project.