CUPERTINO, April 22. -- Nobody ever said moms were perfect. But their imperfections can be corrected, according to one prominent parenting coach. Susan Stone Belton says that poor ol' mom usually means well. It's just that she may be responding emotionally rather than rationally, especially when it comes to raising her kids. "There really are specific ways to deal with the day-to-day crises with kids and end up with successful adults," she said. A mother of two teenagers herself, Stone Belton has 35 years experience in child raising. She is often called upon by schools and government departments to discuss successful parenting. In honor of Mother's Day, Stone Belton has issued her 2005 list, "The Five Biggest Mistakes Moms Are Making Today." Here is her list:

1. Thinking she should have all the answers
2. Believing she can control her children's behavior
3. Putting too much pressure on her kids
4. Accepting stress and arguing as an everyday part of parenting
5. Feeling that being a mom isn't very much fun

Stone Belton contends that you don't have to have a PhD in "Mometry" to be an expert mother. However, she does believe that knowing how to handle kids is not instinctive and that mothers must learn what to do when confronting problems with children. To assist moms who might be grappling with some or all of the five biggest mistakes, Stone Belton has posted her solutions on her Web site (http://susanstonebelton.com/mom/) "As you'll notice, the solutions are not that difficult to use," she said. "But what a difference using them will make to Mom. She really can have a happy Mother's Day after all!"