Parenting

Parenting

I remember my Dad saying, “When you get as old as I am, you will understand.” He would repeat this whenever there was a conversation about parenting. I would go to my Dad for advice because he was wise man, who with my Mom raised eight children. I confess that I thought his remark was a cop-out. I was raising four kids and needed a more substantial answer.

Raising kids is an imperfect science at best. All the handbooks, seminars and sermons don’t quite dispel the confusion, fear and joy that goes along with being a responsible adult trying to encourage your kids and directing them along the safe path to adulthood. I have yet to read the definitive work on child rearing.

Then I remembered what my Dad said, “When you get as old as I am, you will understand.” Well, I am about as old now as he was when he kept repeating this mantra. I have four adult children who are making their way through life. They are responsible, productive citizens some of whom are raising families. I even get a call once in awhile asking for advice. I don’t repeat what my Dad told me but I have my own mantra, “This too shall pass.”

Life keeps coming at us without much of a chance to catch our breath. It seems like yesterday Judy and I were changing diapers (she did most of that), strapping kids in car seats and looking for a little peace and quiet. Now that we are well trained, we keep in practice with the grandkids. Parenting kept us young for long time. Now we have many memories, few regrets and more understanding of what it takes to survive parenthood.

There is one thing I now understand and maybe this is what my Dad had in mind: “Parents give us life, they don’t give us perfect.” As I reflect back on my parents, it isn’t hard to see their faults. They were not perfect but they were there to provide what was needed to set us on the road to maturity. For that I am very thankful.

The Bible says: “Parents rejoice when their children turn out well; wise children become proud parents. So make your father happy! Make your mother proud!”