Daily Mood Quote - June 8, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 35 – June 8, 2011

“To be in your children's memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today”

~Anonymous

My apologies for being late today, but as you have probably already figured out, my tardiness is due to my responsibilities as a parent. Actually, I don't consider attending an award ceremony parental responsibilities. To me, I was privileged to share in my child's success today. We now have an Academic Excellence Award to hang on the wall. Well done!

When I became a parent 26 years ago, all of the books I read on parenting may have provided me with information on how to be a parent, but never prepared me for all the physical, emotional, mental and financial sacrifices, that being a parent requires. There is a big difference between having children and being a parent. In today's fast paced world, the lines and messages can be blurred. It is all too easy to substitute stuff for time and television, or internet, for conversation. I also realize that what is best for one family, may not be best for another. Every family's rules and ways are different. As to my husband and I, we chose parenting, because for us it is about the next generation being better prepared, more informed and a bit smarter about the world than we were growing up. Sounds like a no-brainer, but it requires a lot of work and all to often, some very tough choices. In order to teach them to be better prepared, everyday we ourselves have to continue to learn. The world is changing fast and we, like our children, need to be adaptable.

I remember one job where my employer threatened me with my job, because I had a sick child and needed to go home. I quit my job. Yes, we needed the money, but my child needed me more. No one should ever have to be put in a position to choose between job and family, yet it happens all the time. In the movie Cheaper By The Dozen, Tom (played by Steve Martin) resigned from his dream job as a head football coach for his Alma Mater, because the time away doing his job, meant taking time from his children. His wife played by Bonnie Hunt (Kate) realized that being a parent meant more to her than appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show. They changed their priorities of chasing dream jobs, to make sure they were doing the right thing for their children.

For me, Jacqueline Kennedy said it most eloquently, “If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much.

What memories will you make today?

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