Join Me - Parenting Again
A few years ago I published a book through Amazon entitled Loving Parenting. At the time I wanted to share my belief that being a parent is many things. No matter how we obtain the title, it is our choice how we approach the adventure. In Loving Parenting I hoped to reach out and touch other parents, offering them a choice to enjoy the journey by looking for the positive moments that come along.
I have been blessed to be the mother of five children, four daughters and a son, all of whom are grown now with families of their own. Although I was married twice, I spent the majority of the time of their growing years as a single parent. In order to avoid being or feeling overwhelmed with all the responsibilities and challenges that came my way, I had to learn. I feel I was blessed with opportunities to evaluate my priorities and thoughts. I was blessed with some wonderful people in my life who assisted me in seeing that there was no such thing as a perfect parent. I learned to let go of some beliefs about who and what I needed to be. I learned the importance of enjoying my children and enjoying being with them, no matter what we were doing, or what the circumstance. I learned to let go of a picture of the "perfect" family and enjoy the unique personality of each child. I learned to take one day at a time rather setting my self up for disappointment when things did not occur according to well intentioned plans, schedules or expectations. Most important, I found an ability, even among the chaos, confusion and challenges to change the way I perceived the circumstances and to look for something or a way to soften the stress.
Even before all of my own children were grown and out of the home on their own, I found myself raising another generation. I was given the opportunity, along with one of my daughters, to guide, direct and raise three of my grandchildren. As each child is different, this opportunity meant I had to learn and draw upon new skills, beliefs and perceptions of how to love and be a parent to each one. It also meant learning to deal with people who thought they knew more about the children or how to be a "good" parent than I did, even though they weren't with the children and fulfilling the needs as I was. Luckily, many of them were able to finally realize there were no set/pat answers and perhaps my best was the best that could be done with/for that particular child.
Now, I find myself with a new challenge. I was asked if I would be willing to adopt two of my great-grandchildren as my own. So here I go again- beginning as a new parent and facing many years of making choices which will affect them, me and the rest of our family. I am once again faced with finding the best way to meet their needs while balancing my own and doing it all in a loving way.
I hope that as I share my thoughts and feelings in the coming days, months or years, you will find something that will make your day a little better. I hope you will see you and I are not alone as parents. I hope you will find something that will assist you in being a more loving parent. Finally I hope, like me, you will find yourself enjoying moments where you can say "I am loving parenting".
I have been blessed to be the mother of five children, four daughters and a son, all of whom are grown now with families of their own. Although I was married twice, I spent the majority of the time of their growing years as a single parent. In order to avoid being or feeling overwhelmed with all the responsibilities and challenges that came my way, I had to learn. I feel I was blessed with opportunities to evaluate my priorities and thoughts. I was blessed with some wonderful people in my life who assisted me in seeing that there was no such thing as a perfect parent. I learned to let go of some beliefs about who and what I needed to be. I learned the importance of enjoying my children and enjoying being with them, no matter what we were doing, or what the circumstance. I learned to let go of a picture of the "perfect" family and enjoy the unique personality of each child. I learned to take one day at a time rather setting my self up for disappointment when things did not occur according to well intentioned plans, schedules or expectations. Most important, I found an ability, even among the chaos, confusion and challenges to change the way I perceived the circumstances and to look for something or a way to soften the stress.
Even before all of my own children were grown and out of the home on their own, I found myself raising another generation. I was given the opportunity, along with one of my daughters, to guide, direct and raise three of my grandchildren. As each child is different, this opportunity meant I had to learn and draw upon new skills, beliefs and perceptions of how to love and be a parent to each one. It also meant learning to deal with people who thought they knew more about the children or how to be a "good" parent than I did, even though they weren't with the children and fulfilling the needs as I was. Luckily, many of them were able to finally realize there were no set/pat answers and perhaps my best was the best that could be done with/for that particular child.
Now, I find myself with a new challenge. I was asked if I would be willing to adopt two of my great-grandchildren as my own. So here I go again- beginning as a new parent and facing many years of making choices which will affect them, me and the rest of our family. I am once again faced with finding the best way to meet their needs while balancing my own and doing it all in a loving way.
I hope that as I share my thoughts and feelings in the coming days, months or years, you will find something that will make your day a little better. I hope you will see you and I are not alone as parents. I hope you will find something that will assist you in being a more loving parent. Finally I hope, like me, you will find yourself enjoying moments where you can say "I am loving parenting".
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