Rebeldad put out a call for parenting manifestos of 500 words or less, and has been collecting and publishing some of them on his blog. A lot of them are worth reading. Here are my favorites, with thanks to the authors and to Rebeldad himself:

• The Republic of T
  
• Michelle Grajales
• Stu Mark on Career Mom Radio
• Cathy White
• Ken Cheung from Daddy Forever
• Monica Sakala
• Coleen Hanna
• Check out also “Grabbing our way to peace” about Non-violent Communication in parenting grabby toddlers (a bit of a redundant phrase, really), from Republic of T.

And here is my own small contribution, inspired by the above, and with the acknowledgment that my eldest is not yet 3:

• Don’t assume you have the answers. Find them with your children, their other parent, your partners, lovers, and family.
• Let your child teach you. You’ll probably learn a lot.
• Commit: you’re a parent now, and if you’re really lucky, you’ll be one until you die. You won’t be ‘free’ again in the way you used to be. You’ll only be free with your child from now on, or unfree with her or him. Sélavi.
• Don’t be a martyr parent – who’s martyring you? The kid? They know if you feel that way.
• Protect your children when they need it: from others, from themselves, and from yourself.
• Protect yourself when you need it: from others, from your children, and from yourself.
• Make peace with your parents, if you need to. Get over your childhood traumas. Kids ought to have big families.
• Put more into parenting your child than the child’s other parent, or caregiver. Realize that they are simultaneously putting more into it than you are. Everyone’s tired.
• Give your children’s opinions more weight than the opinions of other adults. Including your own.
• Set limits, but don’t expect a toddler to obey them without a lot of help. Give them that help.
• Try to be positive about the world around you. It’s the world they’ll live in; if it’s not what you want now, work like mad to make it better. Let your children help you make it better.
• Dont’ expect slogans or manifestos to help.