Work in Progress - Parenting a Pre-K to K girl

Here are a few thoughts on the steps my husband and I have taken in trying to ensure our 5 year old turns into a respectful, contributing member of society, and doesn't hate us when it's over.

1) I have heard parents say "pick your battles." This would have been important for my parents to remember, because I resisted at every turn. But, our daughter does not, she acts out as a method of control and doesn't do it that often. So, every battle really is one I'm willing to fight. The few times I've given in during her attention getting battles took days to rectify.

2) Minimal sugar. When she gets a lot of sugar, she turns into evil child. We give her lots of fruit if she wants a treat,and she gets a minimal dessert after dinner, once she's eaten all of her vegetables. After a couple years of this now, the few times we've let her eat as much sugar as she wants, she limits herself.

3) Organic fruits and vegetables. Multiple studies have linked pesticides to developmental problems in children, including autism and ADD/ADHD. This is one I'm not willing to gamble on - she eats something non-organic maybe a couple times a week - this includes her sandwiches, juice, milk, pretty much anything she eats, we're trying for organic, but especially the fruits and vegetables.

4) She cleans her own room (with help). Soon, I'm hoping she cleans her room without help, but she has been taught to clean up after herself since she was able to pick up her own things or reach the counter to put away her leftover dishes/cups. We hope that when she's older, this habit will be ingrained. We hope.

5) TV is limited on school days, and homework and veggies come first. She has been told - and happily regurgitates - that too much TV will turn her brain to mush.

Overall, we're trying to strike a balance between some of the extremes to which we were both subjected as children, in terms of zero sugar or zero TV that led us to binge as adults, and and being completely permissive, which neither of us are in to.

I guess we'll find out in a decade how well this is working for us. For now, we have a (mostly) well-behaved, sweet and cooperative five year old. Let's hope it stays that way... :)