When I think of parenting, I try not to think about how my parents raised me. They were just kids themselves when they married and by the time they divorced, they had barely made it past their mid-20’s. For me, I want to my son to look back and not say that I was a SuperMom, or I didn’t have a clue. I want him to say ,”She was extraordinary.”
Extraordinary parenting is not about opening your wallet. It’s about finding an island in the flurry of life, slowing down and enjoying that time together. Giving yourself, tuning out the outside noise, listening to the inside and what’s coming from the inside of your children. It’s about time spent together and focusing on your kids and nothing else. No distractions, no internet, no smartphones, no television. That’s extraordinary parenting.
This little boy, the love of my life. My heart, pride and joy will be gone from my home in the not-to-distant future. Sure, there are years attached to that future, but I see him growing and changing every single day. Knowing my time to show him the extraordinary in life is limited has been more than difficult for me to fathom.
As a parent, our time is always limited with our children. One moment,we’re their entire world and in the next we don’t get a second thought. That’s why it’s always been important for me to share the beauty of the world, relish in his laughter and for us as a family to live exuberantly. I want him to know he’s always loved. That no matter what he does, no matter how bad it is, that I’ll still love him no matter what.
I’ve always told him that as long as he tells me the truth, I’ll never be angry with him. While I might get upset, anger won’t be part of the equation. My mother told me the same thing. However, due to her temper issues, it never worked out that way. As a parent, I hold myself to a different set of standards. It’s saved a lot of time, headache, heartache and clashes.
Childhood is a time of innocence. As parents, we’re taking these developing minds and personalities and helping mold future leaders of industry and thought. Part of what children carry throughout life is learned at home. While their thoughts and ideas will develop and change, our children still need to know we believe in them. We believe in their thoughts, dreams, and ideas, even if it isn’t our ideal.
No matter what, I want Peanut to know how much he is loved and that I tried to show him the extraordinary in every day.
That’s my dream for every child: extraordinary parenting.
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