Honour - Privilege - Responsibility

Honour - Privilege - Responsibility

by Rupal Jasraj Patel 
(Child Psychologist, Parenting Coach, and Parent & Child Counsellor)

“Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, 

than the raising of the next generation.”  
-- C. Everett Koop

The first time any parent sets eyes on their newborn baby is priceless. The first time a parent brings home an adopted child is equally a treasured moment. The joy that emanates from their heart when they hold their baby, the gratitude they feel to have a precious angel in their lives or the exhilarating feeling of becoming a parent which is irreplaceable. The sense of responsibility is overwhelming but the feeling that we are so fortunate to be given this valuable gift overrides everything else.

As children grow, parents get into a routine and many of those feelings start diminishing. The feeling that "I am oh-so-fortunate to be a parent” peeps its way up once in a while, when our children do something that makes us proud of them. But on a daily basis, the story is entirely different. We get caught up in the rigmarole of life and don't remember what a privilege parenting is.

The sense of responsibility towards parenting usually stays strong and masks itself as discipline, rules, schedules etc. Yes, discipline is required, but with a base of love and respect. And yes, all parents do love their children, but the expressions of love get lesser with time. Most parents feel "Our children 'should know by now' how much we love them." But isn't it a fact that each one of us, even as an adult, wants love to be expressed through words, gestures, and actions on a daily basis? Kids want and need it all the more!

We forget how lucky we are to have been given the chance to fulfill that need in our child's life; to fill their hearts with love and care. We lose sight of the fact that everything we say and do impacts the growth of our precious child. And the feeling of gratitude for becoming a parent gets lost somewhere.

It is never too late to make the change - even if your child is already an adult. It all starts 'from this moment on'.

-- Let us take a moment to recognize the honour bestowed on us every time we hold their hand and feel that bond at the depth of our being.

-- Let us remember how privileged we are, to have our children in our lives every time we ask them to leave us alone. Our life has so much more meaning because of our children.

-- Let us be grateful, even when they are misbehaving, for the opportunity we have as parents to guide them on the correct path.

-- Let us acknowledge how lucky we are to have been given the chance to soothe our children’s broken toes as well as comfort their broken hearts.

-- Let us understand how fortunate we are to be blessed with the most important responsibility, which is of raising another human being.

-- Let us have immense gratitude every time we look at our precious child because of whom we have the honour of being called ‘mom’ or ‘dad’.

-- And most importantly, let us always remember to express our love and care for them whether we are disciplining them or indulging them.

We have been given the chance of nurturing another life, to mould them in the way we want, to bring out their highest potential and to help them steer their lives in the direction of success and happiness.

Whether we cherish that opportunity or squander it 

is entirely up to us!

Either way, the fact will remain that 

this opportunity matches none other!!

Happy Parenting!!