Gratitude Bonus Round 19
Today I am thankful for parents.
Note I didn’t specifically say “my” parents, although this post will most definitely be about them as well.
But in general I’m thankful for moms and dads that actually parent their children. The ones who take the time to think about how they want to raise their kids, and aspire to bring them up to be not only a good contribution to society, but also to be good people. Kind, courteous, friendly, and compassionate.
I guess it will seem like I’m tooting my own horn a bit here, but I’m very thankful to my parents for raising me the way they did, with light hearts and a strong hand. There wasn’t a thing I could have wanted for, but I was made aware that nothing came free and hard work was as important as breathing.
They didn’t accept rudeness, poor manners, laziness, back-talking, or anything less than my best in anything that I did.
They gave me rules, punished me when I misbehaved, and dried my tears whenever they fell.
That was hard for me at times, but that’s what parenting is in a way. It’s not always comfortable, it’s definitely not always easy, and sometimes your kids will all but rip your heart out (and as the child, it may feel like your parents couldn’t understand you less).
But in the end they (us kids) will love you so much more for caring enough to be a real parent to them (seriously, thank you mom and dad!).
It’s scary to me to see how some kids are being raised today. It makes me that much more hesitant to have children of my own because I feel like I’ve got such a big job to do to raise them right in spite of all of the wrong in the world. So kuddos to you parents standing strong and making one great individual at a time. I have so much respect for you!
And I love you mom and dad!
Your children need your presence more than your presents. ~Jesse Jackson
Parents often talk about the younger generation as if they didn’t have anything to do with it. ~Haim Ginott
If you have never been hated by your child you have never been a parent. ~Bette Davis
If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders. ~Abigail Van Buren
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings. ~Hodding Carter, Jr.