Musings from the Gilly Pad

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

happy parent?



This was actually written in november on my other blog- I'm adding it in case you who have been following this one missed it...enjoy!

Are you a happy parent?

Sometimes I don't like the word "happy" because I think it sounds trite, or it diminishes the real state of being that one really means to express. Don't get me wrong. I love to be happy! I love to laugh and be silly! What I really like more than being happy, though, is to be content. When I'm content, I'm void of want. I don't obsess about material things, and I'm not trying to control everything and everyone around me. I'm at peace with my very existence.

I don't mean complacent. I possess enough self-awareness to acknowledge my flaws. I'm very aware of my shortcomings, but find freedom in the fact that I'm a work in progress. I have to make a conscience decision to give myself and others grace and mercy, because the grace and mercy bestowed upon me is immeasurable!

I like this article below because it encourages us to find genuine happiness in our life WHILE we raise our kids. Parenting is not for the faint hearted and weak. Parenting is not for power, either. The title of "parent" comes with no pre-requisites, and does not promise any rewards. I'm not guaranteed "happiness" because I've been given these little humans with wills of their own and souls that are being shaped...by....me?

The trophies are not ours, the grades are not ours, nor the personality and impeccable manners! The disappointments, the pain, the hard-work, the inconveniences, the embarrassments....those things ARE ours!  This is when we breathe through the nose...breathe through the nose...and deal with it!

If we depend on our children to be the source of our happiness, then we have replaced them with our Creator. Being a parent is a sacred task.  With the proper perspective, we can enjoy the process of raising our children.  Do you find fulfillment while you parent? Do you find that your emotional state depends on the mood of one or all of your kids?  What is the source(es) of your "happiness" or "contentment"?  If the majority of our happiness is dependent on your kids, where will it come from when they leave?

http://www.allprodad.com/top10/other/10-steps-to-make-your-life-as-a-family-man-happier

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