Parenting - Enjoy the journey
June 14th 2009 15:13
Intro – The joy of being a parent
As the parent of three grown children, the youngest being 21 years old I have had the opportunity to observe hundreds of parents and their children at different stages of life. My greatest accomplishment has to be the successful raising of my three children. Now I say successful because they are each responsible adult citizens. Although none of them took exactly the path I thought was the path they should have taken, I have learned a great deal from my children and one of those things is that most young people spend a good deal of time and energy thinking and planning for their future, provided they learn that it is their responsibility to make some decisions on their own.
Helping children to learn responsibility should begin at a young age but also should be age appropriate. There are many books giving parents advice on everything from breastfeeding to choosing the right college. Being aware of this advice and that of relatives and friends is very important but when all is said and done. Parents are the child’s first and most influential teachers. The most effective teaching that is done by anyone is through example. A quote from one of my favorite authors, Robert Fulghum goes something like this “ Do not worry that children never listen to you, worry that they are always watching you.”
“Do as I say and not as I do” system does not work. Children learn how to act and react from their daily experiences. The baby who cries and has their needs met, learns that they are a valued human being and so begins the building of their self esteem.
Parents are absolutely the busiest people in the world. My greatest joys were during the times I took to simply enjoy being with my children. Take time to enjoy your children at whatever age they are now. Time flies and all too soon they will be off living their own lives. If you are very lucky they will want you to continue to be a part of their adult lives.
As the parent of three grown children, the youngest being 21 years old I have had the opportunity to observe hundreds of parents and their children at different stages of life. My greatest accomplishment has to be the successful raising of my three children. Now I say successful because they are each responsible adult citizens. Although none of them took exactly the path I thought was the path they should have taken, I have learned a great deal from my children and one of those things is that most young people spend a good deal of time and energy thinking and planning for their future, provided they learn that it is their responsibility to make some decisions on their own.
Helping children to learn responsibility should begin at a young age but also should be age appropriate. There are many books giving parents advice on everything from breastfeeding to choosing the right college. Being aware of this advice and that of relatives and friends is very important but when all is said and done. Parents are the child’s first and most influential teachers. The most effective teaching that is done by anyone is through example. A quote from one of my favorite authors, Robert Fulghum goes something like this “ Do not worry that children never listen to you, worry that they are always watching you.”
“Do as I say and not as I do” system does not work. Children learn how to act and react from their daily experiences. The baby who cries and has their needs met, learns that they are a valued human being and so begins the building of their self esteem.
Parents are absolutely the busiest people in the world. My greatest joys were during the times I took to simply enjoy being with my children. Take time to enjoy your children at whatever age they are now. Time flies and all too soon they will be off living their own lives. If you are very lucky they will want you to continue to be a part of their adult lives.
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