Dr. Kevin Leman - 8 Secrets to Raising Successful Kids: Nurturing Character, Respect, and a Winning Attitude

Do any of the following sound familiar?

• You expect your kids to act up, and they more than fulfill your expectations.
• Buy your kid one thing and an instant later he wants the next latest and greatest do-wacka-do.
• Anything you say turns into an argument, and you are the one who feels bad.
• Even Einstein couldnt count the number of eye-rolls youve seen.
• Your daughter knows exactly where your guilt button is and when to push it.
• Your son calls to tell you where he is, only hes somewhere else.
• If you hear whatever one more time, youll FedEx your daughter one way to Uganda.
• Your kids dont pay attention until youve called their names three times, each time with a little more velocity.
• Shes the poster child for Its all about me.
• Peer-pack mentality wins hands down over common sense and family values.
• He complains when you havent had time to do his homework.
• You wish she could spell the word grateful, much less act like it once in a while.
• Youre trying to do your best, but its never good enough.
• Your kids mouth is busier than she is... and not in a good way.
• Hes never wrong. And when he is, its someone elses fault.
• Your kids dont even bother with excuses. They do whatever they want.
• He just told you his self-esteem is in the toilet because of you.
• If her jeans dont cost at least a Benjamin Franklin, she wont wear them.
• Your daily parenting mantra is Expect nothing and you wont be disappointed.
• Ask her to take out the trash and the world as you know it ends.
• I want, But you have to, and You better, or else are household phrases.
• The last time she thought about helping someone else out was, well, never.
• Your kids are allergic to visiting their grandparents.
• You spend more time saying, If you ever do that again, Ill... than hugging your kids.
• The last family meal you had without someone whining, arguing, or leaving the table in a huff was... the Ice Age.
• The word sacrifice is as foreign as the concept of picking up after oneself.
• Only one family member respects your authoritythe dog.

Parents everywhere face the same issues. We all want to raise kids with character instead of kids who are characters, but we often dont get quite what we expect. However, there is a way to rear a successful child in todays entitled world, a son or daughter who will wisely and confidently blaze a unique trail into adulthood. But the secret of that success starts with you, parent. No one else will do.

Want children who are patient and kind, humble and thankful, and respectful of you, themselves, and others? Who have a hard-work ethic, not giving up until a job is done, even if others say its impossible? Who succeed in all areas of lifepersonally, professionally, and relationallyto the best of their ability?

You cant force your kids to be grateful for everything you do, but you can raise successful kids with a healthy self-image and good doses of responsibility and accountability. These children will grow into adults you can be proud of and who stay even-keeled in lifes stormy seas, even acting as ship captains for others.

Theres a bonus too. Down the road, those children will want to return home to you, with perhaps a partner or a cherub or two in tow. Then, oh, the rollicking stories you can tell to your grandkids around that family dinner table.

Trust me, I know. Ive got five kids and four grandkids circulating in and out of my beloved Sandes and my home in Arizona, livening up the atmosphere. It doesnt need to be a holiday, a birthday, or any special occasion for them to return home. They come just because they can and they want to.

So keep turning the pages of this book. It is possible to raise a successful child in a whatever generation.

I guarantee it.