[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_color=”” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” padding_right=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=””][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” class=”” id=””]
How does giving up make you a good parent? The answer is simple:
First, we give up flat stomachs, (or for the dad you give up having your woman looking different than when you married her) and we do so with pleasure. We stand in front of a mirror proud of our baby bumps and don’t think much about the figure we are giving up.
Our pride is the next thing to go, as we have to bare our private parts to many different doctors and nurses throughout the course of pregnancy.
Next, we give up sleep. As the baby bump gets bigger we get less and less sleep as getting comfortable is just not an option. For most of us, we give up sleep while we are listening for any sound that might mean our child is in harm’s way. As they get older we hear every creak in the floorboards, every squeaking door hinge, listening to see if our children are trying to sneak out. We tend to lose sleep even after they have moved out hearing every little noise in case it is one of our children that have come home in need of assistance.
We give up our food and in particular hot food. In the beginning, it is because we just don’t have the time to sit down and eat, so we are hopeful we can have a small plate of food beside us while we are nursing. You will struggle with what you need more, going to take a nap or getting some good hot food while your little one is napping because you won’t have time for both. Later you give up the food because your child decides they want your egg yolk as it is the best part of the egg, or they are so excited you weren’t so hungry and didn’t eat your piece of chicken tonight because they really wanted another piece.
We give up our time. We will drop anything to assist our child with anything. We spend hours helping them, teaching them, working with them, listening to them. We go to every event possible and clap with excitement even if the sound of them strumming away on a ukulele is ear piercing. We will stop working to listen to them tell us about how school went or if they need a shoulder to cry on because the person they are dating has disappointed them.
We give up our money. We will spend every dollar we make to give you the best home, food, clothes and whatever else they might need. We will give them our last dollar to go buy the right color marker so their project will look perfect. We will scrounge in our pockets to buy them the icecap they said you wanted.
Eventually, we give up our sanity. We feel like we are going crazy with toys, diaper changes, feeding schedules which turns into messy bedrooms, picky children deciding this week they don’t like blue pants they want green, planning meals around work and sports schedules. We would love a couple of hours downtime without having them by our side…..but then during teenage years when they do go out on their own, we lose our sanity if we don’t know where they are, who they are with or what they are doing.
Everything a parent does is for the good of their child. We are unselfish in everything we do when it comes to our children. We think about their present issues and try to help. We are concerned that they eat good food, get lots of sleep and are healthy and happy. We contemplate their future and try and encourage them to be all they can be. We want to be there no matter what the issues or problems and make it easier for them.
I would like to end this article by saying, I would not want the job of deciding whether someone is a bad parent or not. Nor do I desire to be the one to make the decision of whether or not a child needs to be taken from the home. I think most parents are not only good parents but in fact great parents because even if we do not do everything right we are willing to give up our very lives for our children. That makes us great parents.
Recent Comments