My life has been devoted to children and families -- my own, and those I've encountered in my career as a pediatrician. My first baby was born only a few months before I started medical school, and my fifth child arrived seven years later, on the final day of my pediatric residency. These two paths -- medicine and motherhood -- have been inextricably intertwined; they've often enhanced -- and sometimes competed with -- one another.
But over the years, as I've helped my own children journey into young adulthood and worked with countless families in my career, I've gained some hard-earned perspective and insights into raising kids. No parent will have all the answers all of the time, but these simple parenting guidelines can help make your time together as a family that much richer.
Contributing editor Marianne Neifert, M.D. is the author of three books, most recently Dr. Mom's Guide to Breastfeeding.
