Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Being a Parent

Being a parent is a tough job. When I got married, I decided to have my career take a back seat. For some it would have been very difficult but for me it was an easy decision. More than anything, I wanted to prioritize my husband and to be there for my children as well. I have seen families of people I know that rarely see each other and I have seen the effects of that especially on the children. That is why I vowed to myself that I will do everything I can not to follow their mistakes.

Well, who am I to criticize them? I may not know the whole story of their lives and there could have been reasons behind why bad things happened or why that is the way they handle their family life. I guess what I'm just saying is I have seen things which I felt I should be careful about. I have seen many couples whose son or daughter barely goes near a parent because they aren't there with him or her most of the time. The parents may work in a different city or abroad or the parents may be busy in their business. So the child is left mostly with the nanny. Since the kid spends his time mostly with the nanny, he ends up being even much closer to her than his mom or dad.

As a mom, that would really break my heart if it happened to me. That's why I really make sure that I have enough time for my kid. As a parent, I should be there to guide his growing up years, be there to correct him when he's doing something wrong and to encourage him to do well in everything he does. Play time is also important for kids. Parents should be able to do that as well because it is a perfect way to bond with the kids.

Parenting does not end there though. Parents should also be able to discipline their kids. There are different ways of doing that. But I think it would always be best if you try to explain things to them and make them understand why some things are not allowed.

There should be a balance between discipling your and kids and playing buddy to them. You cannot overdo one over the other. You cannot spoil your child, nor can you be overly strict to them. But more than anything, whether you are scolding him or just spending time with him always make your child feel that he is loved and make him feel the security and stability of your family.

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