It's All about the Family

     Parenting is a difficult job and the most important job anyone will ever have.  Mistakes will be made but as long as parents put the welfare and upbringing of the children before everything else the chances are high that their children will prosper.  When I say prosper; I mean as a responsible citizen of the world.

     Children will act out and rebel, that's how they grow, develop personalities and learn boundaries (rules).  It's important to be a parent first before you are their friend.  A growing child needs guidance and boundaries with consequences.  Parents set boundaries, friends don't.

     The easiest part of being a parent is the birth of a child.  That's when the work starts and it's the real miracle of birth.  Raising a child is difficult and rewarding and the rewards far outweigh the difficulty but that's something you learn after the fact.

     I read news reports about a young teenager being shot or killed while walking down the street at 2:00 am.  All I wonder is where are your parents?  Why are they letting you roam the streets at 2:00 am?  There are too many news articles about young people involved in many violent crimes (murder, rape, etc.).  Let me just say this, what happened to rules and consequences.  Without rules and consequences you have chaos.  A kid doesn’t become involved in a life of crime overnight, it takes time and there are signs.  Don't wait to cry and mourn the loss of your child on the nightly news, claiming they were a good kid but just got in with the wrong crowd. The truth is you probably didn't do your job as a parent.

     It's the job of the parent to raise a responsible child, not the teacher, the minister, a relative or society.  Don't expect others to do your parental job.  There will be times when your child will not like you for the rules you have evoked.  At times they will use harsh words toward you but if you parent with love they will always love you.

     There is no guarantee so even if you do your best as a parent, things could still go wrong.  You will never stop being a parent but when your child becomes a responsible adult they will make you proud and become your friend as well.  "Just Saying...."