Section III: The Child
The Child
Childhood is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that should be celebrated each day…
When you think back to your childhood, what’s the first thing you remember? One thing that stands out for many is the simplicity and innocence of our young lives. Life was easy and our problems few. What we didn’t realize was how hard it was to be the parent. Now that we are in the parental role, we have the difficult job of trying to make all the right decisions for our children in hopes of raising them to be the best individuals possible.
When asked to state in one word what your children mean to you, many would quickly say “everything”. We give “everything” we have, including our hearts and souls, to our children in hopes of having it come back to us someday in the form of their success, confidence and love. We do “everything” in our power to control and monitor their influences, guide them down the right paths and meet their every need. We sacrifice “everything” to ensure their safety and well-being, and challenge “everything” that gets in their way or tries to harm them. We are their protectors, providers, best friends and sometimes their worst enemies. They come into our lives for such a short time, shake things up and, before you know it, they leave to make their own mark on the world. Surrounding your child with the right caregivers at a young age, is one of the most important investments you will ever make in your child’s life.
It really does take a village to raise a child and our job as parents is to create that village by filling it with loving, trustworthy and positive role models. Their first caregivers will help them to become strong, confident individuals with strong foundations to stand on through life’s rough patches and storms. Childhood goes by in the blink of an eye and we can only make decisions for them for a short time, so we need to choose wisely while we can.