The most obvious lie is the title of this post. Parenting, in general, is not simple… for anyone… Don’t kid yourself! Parenting is a commitment, a labor of love, an extension of self none of us ever thought would be possible while at the same time is completely required. Some parents give up, some parents freak out, some parents don’t know what they’re doing, and some parents face the facts and keep moving forward with the chaos that is parenting.
Each of us had different parenting growing up. Some of us came from broken homes, some of us grew up with the perfect faith-based home life, some of us grew up with farm animals and others of us grew up on the streets of the city. Some of us endured public school and some of us were homeschooled, some of us went on annual vacations, many of us spent time in summer camp programs while our parents worked.
The truth is – I cannot sit here and write down a special recipe that is guaranteed to help you or your family experience a smooth journey through these pivotal years of parenting. We are too diverse, there are too many differences in how we cope and manage our lives and it wouldn’t be fair for me to say I’m doing something with some special secret knowledge you might not have heard about.
The opposite is quite true, really.
I believe you might just be an incredible parent! You might be the parent who is always there for your child, or children, ensuring all of their needs are met, showing up to every game, making sure they are understanding their homework assignments, exploring a full menu of flavors at the dinner table, spending time together and making memories while they’re young. You might even read stories with your children, pray with your children, and help them to feel connected to the future you’re preparing them for.
I think we all have an “ideal” we’re aiming for, but the truth is that sometimes we fall short.
Don’t lose hope – Don’t stop now!
You have the opportunity to shape a young person in 18 birthdays, 18 summer vacations, 18 Christmas mornings, 18 Thanksgiving meals — 18 years before they are considered an adult.
There’s nothing simple about trying to compress everything you’ve learned, are learning, and hope they will learn in that time… Especially when you have multiples!
How are you spending those years?
Parenting 6 Kids Is Simple, if you’re lying. 😜
-George