How much time have you spent in the past month thinking about parenting? Not parenting in general but parenting your own children.
Have you asked yourself; for what purpose am I raising these children? 15% of parents have a clear answer, the remaining 85% do not!
How clear is your parenting purpose?
All parents parent with a purpose! It’s just a matter of how much clarity there is for what that purpose is. Having clarity of your parenting purpose can provide you with a strong foundation for communication with your kids, managing the everyday and staying sane through the rough times!
Here’s a little clarity exercise to help you determine your clarity level.
Take a piece of paper and make a line down the middle of a page. Place the task on the left and the purpose sentence on the right. As you place each one complete your answers. Let yourself be aware of how eaily the answers come or not.
Saving Money – I save money for the purpose of……
Grocery List – I buy groceries so that ….
Cleaning the house – I clean my house because…..
Going to work – I go to work so I can…..
Personal grooming – I get my hair cut because….
Birthdays – I remember people birthdays because….
How do they compare to the answers you have for your purpose in parenting? Some answers come with more clarity than others – that’s Ok – if the reason is unclear that is in fact Great! It’s an opportunity to place more time and attention on why it is you do what you do – the purpose.
The purpose for parenting also comes from the many aspects of your experiences; childhood, family size, your parents parenting styles, your personal temperament, your partners experiences and the circumstances under which you became a parent of children.
They all come into play – everyday – through your parenting actions. They are what makes you the amazing parent you are today!
I encourage you to:
- take the time to sift through all the parts that make up you as a parent choose what values fit you and YOUR purpose in parenting today.
- make a clear and conscious declaration of your purpose – be specific in describing your purpose. Describe your reasons for why I choose to parent my children.
- place your purpose into the daily actions of your parenting. – meditate or pray on it daily, make a picture representation of what it means to you and place it in a prominent place of your home.
Knowing your purpose helps clear the way for focused attention and successful completions of all activities; be it going to the grocery store, saving for a trip or raising strong and competent people.
Kim McLeod, also known as Grandma K is a Child & Youth Counsellor and Life Skills Coach. She works with parents who are tired of guilt driving their parenting and instead want a strong connection with their children; parents who are hungry to sustain healthy communication with their kids, and offer them mentoring and a community. She works with parents who want to be the number one educators in their child’s life—the ones who are willing to learn how to speak about life’s tough topics BEFORE they become an issue. She also works with community support workers, schools, mentors and the greater community, to promote a philosophy of prevention throughout the early years of 7 through to 16. For more information, visit her website at www.grandmak.ca.
