
Mamamia’s Five Golden Rules series takes a pervy look into the lives of Australian families. From parents of toddlers to parents of teenagers, the series asks parents to share their golden parenting rules, including the rules for their kids, and rules to just get through each day.
This week, a 49-year-old mother-of-two shares her Five Golden Rules for parenting teenagers.
Libby, her husband, and their two teenagers live just outside of Fremantle in Western Australia.
She has a 16-year-old "utterly loveable" trans daughter and a 14-year-old son who is a "sports superstar" and "total overachiever" at school.
Libby’s parenting philosophy is one where she tries as much as possible (without over sharing) to be honest and vulnerable with her kids and model for them what it is to be a resilient, positive, heart-driven human.
The two types of parents during school shopping. Post continues below.
"Not that I am minimising being a mum, it is the greatest and most important thing I have ever done. But it is only one of the things I am," Libby shared.
"Long before I met them, and long after they leave the nest, I was, and I am... an adventurer and a traveller; a writer, editor, speechwriter, researcher; a diplomat; a poet; a funny bugger from a long line of funny buggers; a music lover and music maker," she told Mamamia.
With all this in mind, here are Libby's Five Golden Rules for her family.
1. Under promise, over deliver.
"Don't make a commitment to your child that you can't keep. There will be many people in their lives who break their trust, but that should not be you. Only commit to what you know is truly possible and follow through. Every time. They will hear the words you say, but if you back it up with the right action, they will come to know that you mean what you say and you say what you mean.
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