It would be great if every couple agreed on everything but that is an unlikely event. One partner may have been raised in a relaxed environment; another may have been raised in a very strict home. What is acceptable by one partner may be appalling to another. It is important to discuss with your partner what your parenting objectives are. Decide what values are important to both of you. You will find that some things are more important to you than to your partner and vice versa. Here are some steps you can do to work towards resolving parenting disagreements.

1. Discuss your parenting objectives. What is important to both of you? Sit down with your partner and decide what values are most important. Also what areas are not as important?

2. Talk about where your children are developmentally and what they are capable of understanding. Sometimes reasons for parenting disputes are because one partner thinks that a child is capable of understanding something and other disagrees. Knowing what your child's cognitive level is will help you to make better decisions. Do not compare your child to other children. You can use examples based on what they are capable of doing and not doing. For instance, if you ask them to get something out of their toy box, do they understand and go get it? If not expecting your child to be able to understand certain things may be unreasonable.

Life is comprised of pieces of time sprinkled with pivotal moments. Sometimes these moments have immediate impact. Other times, they are slow to manifest and reveal their importance. But if you listen closely to soft whispers of life, they will guide you on an unexpected journey filled with beauty, understanding and fulfillment. One such moment occurred for me about eight years ago.

On this particular day, I was helping my mom redo her bedroom. We rearranged furniture, cleaned, polished and changed curtains and bedding. Then out came new floral arrangements, potpourri and matching candles. Proudly, we stepped back to admire our work. That's when Mom decided we needed a little atmosphere and she lit candles.

Evidently, there was a residue of cleaning solution on her hands, because moment she flicked lighter, flames burst in air. Large blisters instantly formed on her hands and she began to shake. As tears rolled down her face, she looked up at me and whispered, "The children."

Those were her first words, not a cry, not a scream, not a curse – "the children". I panicked. I though she was in shock. I hurried her into bathroom to tend to her wounds but blisters were so large she couldn't move her fingers. I realized I would have to take her to doctor; I was also concerned about her state of mind. Her response seemed so strange. "Mom, what do you mean, children?" I asked.

She looked up at me with sweetest, most sympathetic tear-filled eyes I had ever seen. "The poor children who get burnt." Then she continued to explain, "I saw it on Oprah. If this is painful for me, how much pain would a child be in? I feel so sorry for them…what they must go through."

That was her answer. My mom had second and third degree burns, her hands were swollen, blistered and shaking, but her tears were for children. Children she saw on Oprah. My thoughts were less pure. At that moment, I didn't care about anyone but her.