Kelly Bartlett, on her website “Parenting From Scratch,” has an engaging post called “.”

I’ve been a pediatrician for 40 years and a father for over 30 years, and I am not so certain that anything really “simplifies” parenting. But that said, she makes some great points about de-cluttering the noise and to-do lists from too many parenting experts, manuals, and techniques. She offers her readers some great suggestions on communication, relationships, understanding and gratitude by suggesting that we focus less on what we “do” and more on “who we are” to our children.

Part of my own mantra, as a father, and as a pediatrician who advises parents,  has always been that it’s important to develop your own Parenting Personality. And perhaps the truest and most authentic way to simplify parenting is look into the mirror and be honest and thoughtful about what you see.

Parenting affords a terrific and unique opportunity for personal growth as your child learns and grows too. Do you want your child to be patient? Make sure you work on developing and modeling patience yourself.  If neither of you have it, learn it together! Want honesty from your child?  A parent can only give to their child what they possess themselves.  Do you like what you see in the mirror? If so, chances are you’re a pretty good parent already! If there are things you’d like to change – work on them and see how those changes are reflected in your relationship with your child.

Being a parent is being a good person.  To me, one of the best ways to simplify parenting is to think seriously about your own values and what you would like your children to model, then allow your child to observe your growth along with their own.

It’s a great way of keeping what’s important in perspective!