From dinner time conversation skills to the lost art of the thank-you note, today’s parents are returning to old-fashioned, time-tested values.  In developing gratitude, good manners, and every other life skill, children look to parents to lead the way. Here’s how you can do just that — no matter how young your brood is:

Some say that play is the work of children.

I agree. Sort of….

The developmental tasks accomplished through playing are what truly matter.

Equally important: What kind of co-worker are you Mommy? The hovering, scampering, secretarial type?  The strict foreman who keeps the trains running on time?  Or are you more of an over-qualified, underpaid, personal assistant to a diva?

Compared to babies, we adults are sniveling cowards.

Yesterday, I received an “atta girl!” email.  A friend of mine had found out that I’d recently conquered a lifelong fear: I sang.

Then Kelly revealed to me that she had also stared down a big monster:  she climbed. Rock climbing, up high. She had clambered over her terror, to reach out and grab the exhilaration that awaited her at the peak. High-fives are clearly in order.

But while we’re at it, let’s also celebrate babies and their risky busy-ness.

A reader of this blog recently contacted me for advice on a universal parenting issue.

She said:

“My son sucks his thumb.  Even the ultrasound images showed him with his thumb in his mouth.  He’s almost six years old!  Do you have any suggestions on how to break this habit?  As cute as it was, it’s starting to affect his teeth.  We tried bargaining with him, to buy him some cowboy boots if he could stop.  He got very excited for about 5 minutes, then he just automatically started again, right after I turned away.”