Children aren’t all the same. They’re individuals with different personalities. Even kids of the same age develop at different rates. So it’s important that you, as a parent, don’t expect more, or less, of your child than he or she is physically or intellectually able to do.

It’s also important to remember that nobody’s perfect. Not your kids and not you. If you expect your child will always be polite, tidy up, or always be happy and cooperative, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment—

And don’t forget to go easy on yourself, too. You probably want to be the very best parent ever to have children. But that’s unrealistic. You are human. You will make mistakes. Don’t get too frustrated or upset. Everyone learns through experience.