Posted by:
Amyjo
(
)
Date: May 25, 2016 12:40PM
My children were worth all the toil, pain and sacrifice of raising them. It was more joy than pain actually, not counting the labor.
And I was a single parent. My commute each day to and from work gobbled up around three of my hours, when I worked in Manhattan. I had a wonderful boss during those years who let me come in late and leave early as long as my work got done, he didn't care I put in an exact number of hours. So I was blessed during that time to be able to be more of a hands on parent getting the children back and forth to pre-school, then grade school, etc.
Our family time was sacred. I was exhausted at the end of the day, but we always ate dinner together. Their homework was done by bedtime, and we had time left over for family time evey day of the week.
I wouldn't trade all of that for the world, even if I could do it over again.
Once they've grown and on their own, you'll look back on those days and wonder how could they have gone by in a flash? And wish they were young again, under your roof, when you could tuck them in at night.
Children change your life in a good way. Don't expect them to live up to your expectations, however. Allow them the ability to flower and bloom the way they're intended to, and they will hopefully flourish knowing they're cared for and loved.
Most of all cherish them. When I ran into a rough patch with one of mine, and we had a communication gap I prayed about what to do to reach my teenager? I was going through all the motions of being a "good" parent, so didn't know what was missing. I love/d my children dearly regardless. The answer to my prayer was to "Cherish" them as in active verb.
Once I engaged my mind to cherish actively no matter what was going on around us at home, on the phone, or wherever... I could sense things changed for the better.
I was tired and exhausted as a single parent. But there was that something more I needed to implement to be a better parent. Turned out that being actively engaged in cherishing my children heart and soul was what I needed to work on.
Like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, when he asked his wife Golde did she love him? She would answer look at all she did for him, wasn't that love? Well, yes and no.
It's also a feeling, and emotion that can either be suppressed & stifled, or just displayed in how we communicate and convey our messages to those we love.