Notes on Parenting

I do have the best parents in the world. As I sat and reflected this morning, I realized how fortunate, no not fortunate, rather blessed, I am to have been raised in the family I was. For reasons I will never understand, God placed me in this place, where I have been loved, encouraged, disciplined, challenged and refined - all to become a woman of God. I am more than fortunate. My parents were strict. I was not allowed to do much. At the time, I did not like it, but looking back I am thankful for what I was saved from. My parents were always there - always. We were number one. No, this did not mean we were the spoiled brats of today that got everyTHING they wanted. Instead, we were the blessed children to get every PART of our parents. They supported our every endeavor, whether it was a sporting event or building a class float. My parents may not have given me everything I wanted, but I know I received everything I needed. I had my parents and I had their love. There is really nothing any child needs more than that. They need to know they are loved unconditionally and they need to have boundaries clearly marked out for them. Children are just that - children. They cannot, and should not, make decisions for themselves. In the name of independence, children are being forced to grow up way too fast and instead of producing responsible adults, we are producing whiny babies that think the entire world revolves around them. I am thankful for Godly parents, that instilled values, morals, and responsibility in me. I was taught to work hard and to play hard. Both are equally important. I can only pray that I am half of the parents they were.