Your child is growing fast. Your toddler will soon be in grade 6 or higher. Your support and guidance matters not only when your child is a baby but all the way along. Parenting is a lifelong journey so you need to be prepared.

Along with this amazing growth comes many things that it is important for parents to do. Here are just some of what is expected of you:

1. Give hugs and kisses generously

Being held, hugged, and kissed helps us all. They are important lessons for your child to learn so that he or she will do the same for his or her future kids. You are teaching your child how to parent as you make good choices in your own parenting.

2. Ask about your children’s’ worlds

This is important to do to find out more about your child’s world and to help him feel important to you. It comes with another half which is to be a good listener to your child. The listening side of parenting is frequently not talked about when we discuss good parenting.

3. Tell your family members you love them

We all need to hear this regularly. Our children also need to become familiar with saying these kinds of things to other people in the family. Like other skills you try to teach, this is one that good modeling helps make a reality.

4. Read with your children

No matter what your child’s age, this remains important. As your child gets older you may just talk together about books and what you like in them but keep reading an important and worthwhile learning adventure to share together. As your child grows, he or she will then tell you about books that you might find interesting. (I am reading one of those right now.)

5. Validate your kids

Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them. Let your child see you think they know how they feel and that it makes sense. Let them see you recognize their intelligence, their sense of humor, and their ability to make good choices. When your child is young, hang his or her schoolwork in your kitchen. Compliment them on the quality of the work and talk about it. Your child needs to know that you notice his success or effort as well as the failures or mistakes.

6. Feed your family nutritious foods

This helps them remain healthy and ready to go. It helps them learn for the future and be healthy in the present. While you teach your child, you also learn a great deal about healthy food. Try some new things.

7. Have a special time with each child

Spending time alone with each child tells your child he or she is important. You also learn about your child’s unique and special qualities. Your child also feels you care more about him or her when you spend this time together. We all need to feel needed.

8. Practice patience

Patience is a quality that is learned and needs to be practiced. Keep yourself in a good place physically so you can do the right thing for your child. Don’t give everything a deadline. Patience really takes a while to learn and really is a virtue.

There is much to learn about being a parent. Read the articles in the newspaper and in magazines. Pick up a book on parenting and see what things they suggest. Your role is an important one and not one that is always easy to handle.

Learn about it, talk about it, practice it and rewards yourself for a job well done when you should.

Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and former executive director of Parenting Matters Foundation, which published newsletters for parents, caregivers and grandparents.