She turned twenty a few months ago. The one whose arrival in the world brought to me the title of “mother.” Has it really been twenty years? Maybe that doesn’t seem like a long time to some. But for me, the one who was once labeled “infertile,” it is simply miraculous! I do not take for granted this gift of motherhood that I have received. As my good friend Murley says, I am “livin’ the dream!” As I reflect on the past two decades, I am amazed at all that I have learned while on this journey. A few
Category: parenting
Lately I have been reading a lot about how parents of young children are frustrated by the phrase “enjoy every moment.” They claim that these words, often passed along by parents with grown children, are not realistic and the recipients end up feeling guilty as a result. I understand their frustration. Parenting is exhausting, difficult, and quite overwhelming at times. Not every moment is pleasant. Diaper changes, temper tantrums, projectile vomiting (usually in the middle of the night), runny noses, whining, homework struggles- none of these are particularly enjoyable. So why do I think that this is still good advice?
As we come to the end of this series on parenting, I just want to encourage you to remember that you are not alone! There are so many parents who are right where you are. Our stories might differ a bit, but the overall struggles and victories are much the same. Even though we are living in an age full of remarkable technology and communication systems, it is still easy to feel disconnected and isolated. If this is you, then please start looking for places to get connected. Perhaps you will find some supportive people within your own family network.
When I was in college, I took an Adolescent Psychology class. Most of us were in our early to mid-twenties, but there was one “non-traditional” student who was particularly annoying. She was the mother of three teenagers and readily admitted on the first day that she took this class with the hope that it might help her improve her parenting skills. She always had something to say, usually completely off-topic. One day, about half-way through the semester, she had an emotional breakdown in class. As she was crying, she told us of some of her struggles with her kids.
One of the most anxiety- producing topics of discussion among parents is that of sex education. The most frequently asked question I hear is “When is the right age to have “the talk?”” My answer: This conversation begins when your children are very young. Sex education begins with teaching your little ones the appropriate names for all of their body parts. Yes, it seems very clinical, but it sure eliminates a lot of confusion and awkward conversations later on. It is only embarrassing if we make it embarrassing. We also need to be helping our little ones develop good hygiene