Health Tip: Taking Pressure Off Parents

Some parents strive to be perfect, a goal they will never achieve.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests how parents can lighten up on themselves:

• Create a flexible, reasonable plan for parenting that allows you to do what you feel is right for your child.
• Accept that it is normal to make mistakes.
• Recognize that each child's maturity plays a big role in the child's achievement.
• Understand that a child's environment, including many factors beyond a parent's control, plays a significant role in development and behavior.