Author: A M Scott
Have you ever sat and scoffed on a plate of cheesy nachos or nibbled on a chocolate cookie while reading up the ‘allowed and not allowed’ list on your new diet plan, so as to start tomorrow? Do you read self-help or life coaching articles avidly and to what extent do these make a meaningful impact on your habits and behaviours? How many ‘10 ways to parent happy and successful children’ blog posts have you perused? All these text offerings are useful and we intend to assimilate the wisdom shared, but unless we act, engage, physically handle the tasks or suggestions, the insight from the author falls fallow. Like a diet change is about lifestyle, raising a child is a hands on, contact sport. You need to put down the manual and pick up the baby. You need to be present and in touch. You need to commit.
Commit to eye contact.
Commit to a listening ear.
Commit your unconditional acceptance.
Commit to keeping your word, whether you threatened a consequence or made a promise.
Commit to transparency.
Commit to authenticity.
Commit to kind words.
Commit to being the best parent you can be to your child. He or she has no one else to fill that role. You are enough and you are it.
Commit to setting boundaries and limits, in love.
Commit to providing safety, emotionally and physically.
Commit time.
Commit everything you are.
Commit to caring for yourself, the carer, so that you have capacity for your child.
Commit to a ‘village’ with whom to raise your child.
Manuals will come and go. Experts will argue and theories will be retracted. Trends will rage. Time will pass. Read if you are discerning but take only what you need. Rather, put down the manual, pick up your unique, assigned charge, YOUR child, and be the parent you are designed to be.