Not every parenting situation is going to be the same. There are variables that play into the relationship between you and your child and what you need to do to best set them up for success. However, there are a few basic rules about parenting that I do not believe to be as subjective and need to be followed or realized in some form to send your child on the path you envision for them in life.
Understand Your Importance
Know that your child will not just manifest themselves into what you envision for them and into what they want to be. Not only should you focus on instilling the characteristics and morals directly, but you should also make sure you are leading by example. At a young age, children are highly impressionable and many of the traits they develop will be acquired from what they see in you.
Make Your Love for Them Known
Love in this context means that you need to show them how much you care about them. If you show them the extent of your emotional involvement in their well-being, they will come to trust you and build a relationship with them which will allow you to show them the way. While it is important to verbalize your love for them as well, it is important to make them realize the importance of their own decisions and not to lower expectations for them.
Adapt to Your Child Over Time
As your child grows up, they will begin to change and you will have a better idea for what kind of person they are on a path to being. While you still need to stay true to your principles once this happens, it also will be important to adjust accordingly and simply accept certain intangible realities about how your child is in terms of their strengths, weaknesses, and overall interests. Your adaptation to them will allow them to mature.