When did you first realize you were you?
My earliest memory was of eating breakfast with my sister Corrie. She and I were sitting at a kitchen table eating cold cereal with milk. Corrie was pretending to read the ads on the cereal box. I couldn’t read and I knew she couldn’t. She told me I could read the milk carton, but I knew I couldn’t.
I’m not sure how old I was, but I know I was living in Arizona where my dad was in the Army Air Corps so I must have been under two years old. At that very young age I was me. I was an individual with feelings, desires, hopes and fears. Now over 60 years have passed and I am still an individual with feelings, desires, hopes and fears.
I share this thought because I believe it is the key to being a good parent.
My earliest memory was of eating breakfast with my sister Corrie. She and I were sitting at a kitchen table eating cold cereal with milk. Corrie was pretending to read the ads on the cereal box. I couldn’t read and I knew she couldn’t. She told me I could read the milk carton, but I knew I couldn’t.
I’m not sure how old I was, but I know I was living in Arizona where my dad was in the Army Air Corps so I must have been under two years old. At that very young age I was me. I was an individual with feelings, desires, hopes and fears. Now over 60 years have passed and I am still an individual with feelings, desires, hopes and fears.
I share this thought because I believe it is the key to being a good parent.
Although children know they are individuals many parents don’t really think about it, and assume their children view things the way they (the parents) do and as a result fail to really understand their children.
A child’s limited experience makes it impossible for the child to understand what the parent understands and to see things they way their parents do. The good news is that since the parent was once a child, it is possible for the parent to see things the way the child does.
When parents make that attempt, miracles can happen and true communication will take place.
A child’s limited experience makes it impossible for the child to understand what the parent understands and to see things they way their parents do. The good news is that since the parent was once a child, it is possible for the parent to see things the way the child does.
When parents make that attempt, miracles can happen and true communication will take place.
I don’t suggest that parent think and act like children, rather parents need to take the time to remember what it was like when they were children. They are then able to lead their children and enable them (the children) to learn from their (the parents) mistakes.
That requires that the parents admit their weaknesses and the mistakes they have made especially to their children. This simple act will inspire our children and allow them to become better than the previous generations.
To quote Winston Churchill, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. This applies to families as well as nations.
That requires that the parents admit their weaknesses and the mistakes they have made especially to their children. This simple act will inspire our children and allow them to become better than the previous generations.
To quote Winston Churchill, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. This applies to families as well as nations.
No comments:
Post a Comment