Have you noticed how we are taught at school about subjects like english, reading, maths, spelling, science, history and geography, yet we are never taught about perhaps the greatest subject of all … how to get the best out of ourselves.

We are never taught about our mind and how it works, how our body works, about nutrition, exercise, how to effectively learn, about self-esteem, relationships and parenting.

We get thrown in the deep end and it is “learn on the job”.

For most people, this is the hard way to learn – trial and error.

As an example, parenting.

Two people come together and produce a little bambino.

Now, their most important task starts: how do we effectively care for this new arrival?

The baby needs to be cared for physically and emotionally.

While many learn how to care physically for the baby, they mess up areas like nutrition, communication and discipline.

Being a parent is one of the most responsible tasks you can take on.

You are programming a child on how to become an adult.

And there is a great point: if you have a young child, how do you want them to turn out? What sort of young adult do you want them to be?

This is starting with the end in mind.

Once you know how the end looks, it’s time to get back to now and think about the traits, behaviours and beliefs that will need to be taught. And how you are going to do that!

Parenting can be simple and fun if you get it right.

Many years ago, I ran a two-day parenting course for parents whose children were in juvenile justice.

The problem these kids were experiencing is they were coming out of jail after serving time and returning to the same environment that created the initial problem.

While we can change children, it’s difficult when they are under the care of their parents and receive little programming.

On the first day of the course, about a dozen parents turned up and one mother said up front, “I hope I don’t have to participate. I’m being made to be here.”

Interestingly, I couldn’t keep this lady quiet. She was a great participant.

At the end of the first day, I gave the group some strategies on how to work with their children that were still at home.

The next morning, they commented on how easy it was to get their children to do what they wanted simply by changing the way they worked with them.

Keep it simple … and start with the end in mind.

You’ve got this.