When my coteacher and I have parent conferences, she always ends by asking parents, "What's your favorite thing about your child at this age?" It's a great question. Sometimes we are so bogged down with day to day parenting issues and worries, we don't take time to reflect on what we love about being a parent.
Starting with this question is also a great way to build memories. "When he was one, I loved the way he would scoot after his sister." "Now he's two and I love how he speaks and snuggles up for a story." Who knows what favorite trait will come next.
Some special things can be easy to forget even in our current photo documented world. Don't forget to reflect once in a while on the wonderful things about your child - especially when you are working through tough parenting issues. That reflection may even give you some new ideas on how to work through concerns with your child. Focus on what you love about your child and what your child loves his current age. While your at it remember to appreciate the times when your parenting is going really well. Often we only notice the difficult times.