Adventures in Parenting

Some thoughts came to me today as I am getting sentimental about my children growing up and out. I look back to the time when they were babies, and wish I held them just a little more, complained a little less about waking up at night, and took more time to relax and enjoy them when they were such cute puffy little things!

Some parents seem to have the idea that the real important work of a parent begins when children can talk and interact. Therefore, the first couple of years as babies are considered rather insignificant. A babysitter, daycare, or a family member can just as easily take care of their kids.

But look at it this way: You and your babies are basically two strangers who just met, who happen to share some genetic material, and are now expected live together in complete love and harmony. Those first few months together are vital in establishing that relationship. And relationship is the center of everything that we do as a parent. Later as you discipline your children, when you teach them moral standards, when you guide them in decision-making,  the effectiveness of your efforts all depend on the strength of that relationship with your children. Without a strong relationship, we would merely function as a teacher or a coach, not a parent within the context of a family.

So I want to encourage the young parents here that those early years makes all the difference in the world, for both you and the babies. Be there, and make the most of that time.