Five-phases-of-parenting

Five Phases of Parenting

Being a parent is challenging enough, but as a big-picture thinker, I thought it might be helpful to have a tiny framework surrounding the Five Phases of Parenting.  A point before we get started, although these five phases are sequential, one develops upon the next; they are also present during different times and situations.  Let’s take a closer look.

Phase One

Have you ever had a new position, and the training individual asks you any questions?  You stop and think and then reply with, I don’t know what I don’t know.  In other words, I don’t even know where to start to ask questions.  So often, during the phases of raising a child, we feel like that.  When a child moves into adolescence, it can feel like you’re starting all over again trying to figure things out.

Phase Two

As you begin to parent your kids during those years before age 5, you start to at least know that you need to know. You are beginning to recognize some areas where you could use some clarification.

Phase Three

During this phase, you begin to recognize what you don’t know.  Now it is getting specific, and you will be able to identify the areas where you need assistance.  You can start to determine where you can go to get some help.

Phase Four

As you ask questions, you begin to know how to handle things and see that it is working.  You are making progress and feeling like your parenting is quality and making good choices.

Phase Five

In Phase Five, you start to move and make decisions based on your experience, what you read, learned, and what you know of your child.

We will discuss these five in greater detail during the subsequent five sessions.

Here is the link to Phase 1, 5 Phases of Parenting – Phase 1 – Dr. Rich Patterson (pattersonphd.com)

Connection Pointe has a slightly different approach for my Faith-based friends here, Parenting Through the Phases (connectionpointe.org)

Yours for better parenting,

Rich