Parenting as Mutual Entertainment

Maybe it's my pregnancy hormones, maybe it's life with a 2 1/2 year old and another on the way, maybe it's just my continuous evolution as a human being, but I have a new perspective on parenting lately.

It seems that things in my parenting world go extremely well as long as I remember that my child and I have a mutual (yet unspoken) agreement that we are here for the entertainment of the other.

Sure, some parents may disagree with me, arguing that the role of a parent is to instill discipline and order, and to attempt to raise a decent human being.

As I so often do, I will once again disagree with the common opinion of society.

So to the disciplinarian parent, I say RUBBISH! Just chill out already.
To the ever-teaching parent, I remind: are you learning something too?
To the authoritative parent, I ask: are you reminding your child to challenge authority?
To the ever-nurturing parent, I enquire: are you remembering to be playful?
To the irresponsible parent, I simply ask you to wake up.

As far as I can tell, successful parenting is an art, not a science.

If I look at parenting as though perhaps there's something I can learn from my kids and perhaps there's something they can learn from me, the pressure is off.

It makes life a lot easier...easier to discipline with patience and care. Easier to teach without preaching. Easier to consider that that tiny soul may be wiser than I am (in some ways). Easier to remember to play in addition to nurturing. Easier to be the parent I'm capable of being.

I believe that parents and children come together not by chance but by choice. Yes, I realize this is getting a bit farther "out there" than I usually tend to be in this particular blog, but I feel called to share the message.

Perhaps just one of you needs to hear this.

So there you go.

At any rate, my little miracle is ready for her dinner, so it's time to fix something to eat with love and joy. Thank heaven for little girls.

And here is your QoD:
What can you do differently when you find yourself short on patience with the children in your life? Will you take the time to see what lesson YOU can learn in any challenge?