Dear Parents,
Hello there! I’m the proud mom of a remarkable 20-year-old son. Over the past three years, he has endured 18 hospital visits due to severe Crohn’s disease, battled three lifelong hospital-acquired infections, navigated the maze of countless pain medications, IV treatments, and shots, and faced major surgeries including a colon removal and an intestinal resection. Most recently, he sustained a brain injury from a skateboarding accident.
Did I grab your attention? I hope so, though I never intended to do so in this manner.
I understand that you believe every action you take is in your child’s best interest, but I’d like to share some hard-earned lessons that might help you reconsider certain well-meaning habits. I had to learn the hard way, and I hope you can choose a different path.
1. Let Them Explore
Firstly, please stop cramming your child’s schedule with activities like tennis, piano, karate, and all the other things that seem to be the norm in your neighborhood. Children need time to explore, create, and play. Their early years are fleeting. Let them cultivate their natural curiosity at their own pace. They have time.
2. Rethink College Prep
Next, let’s talk about the college prep hustle. Please, stop preparing them for college starting in the sixth grade. In fact, it’s time to rethink the entire college preparation mindset. If college is part of their journey, they will discover that path through their own talents and interests. They don’t require you to write their college essays, force them into volunteer roles, or push them into every honors class available just to enhance their college applications. They have time.
3. Allow Individual Journeys
Furthermore, please don’t impose your narrative on how your child should progress through life. Each child is an individual, with their own unique journey filled with both victories and setbacks. Don’t shield them from failure; allow them to learn independently, even if it means they get a little scraped up along the way. They have time.
4. Savor Childhood
Finally, let’s not rush them into adulthood. Allow them to savor their childhood moments. Soon enough, they will face responsibilities and challenges similar to our own. Why hurry them into that reality? They have time.
We live in a world full of arbitrary rules and timelines dictating when and how children should be at various stages in life. Who established these guidelines? Our kids should be equipped to find joy and love amidst the uncertainty that life brings. By slowing down and avoiding some of the pressures I’ve mentioned, they will have the time to discover what makes them truly happy.
For more insights on managing the journey of parenthood, check out this blog post. And if you’re looking to explore options for at-home insemination, Make a Mom provides excellent resources, including syringe kits. Additionally, this resource offers valuable information on pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, take a moment to breathe and reflect on the pace of your child’s life. They need time to grow, to learn, and to enjoy every fleeting moment of their childhood.
Leave a Reply