Healthy Parenting is about coming from love. It is
remembering your choice to have a child -- a family -- and not allowing
anything to come in the way of your parenting from that place of love.
Many of us begin as loving parents, resistant to the stressors of no sleep and cold meals in order to care for our babies. But as time goes on, and perhaps more children come into the mix, we forget that pure emotion of love and allow the stress of work, home, marriage, society and child-rearing to overwhelm us.
My articles are designed to remind you to return to the source of your love, and to parent from this space. To respond to your children's needs versus reacting. To carve out play time and quiet time to better know your children. To observe who they are and what they like.
Children are precious gifts. They are unique individuals all of their own. To expect them to live up to your expectations is foolhardy and unreasonable. Your job is to see that they are true to who they already are -- not who you want them to be.
Children sense the difference between unconditional and conditional love, and between having your undivided attention and just being tolerated. Loving your children involves the same ingredients as a good marriage or a good friendship:
- Time filled with laughter and play
- Time for listening with full attention
- Time for lifting your child up with words of encouragement and praise
- Time to heal
The time you invest in your children yields more interest and long-term gain than anything else you will ever do. Take a deep breath and be present.
Begin today.
Before your children head out the door, let them know how wonderful they are. When they return home, let them know you are happy to see them. Sit down and listen to the details of their day. Celebrate their joys with them.
I look forward to sharing the teachings of Healthy Parenting with you each week.
Diana Wenutu
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