Parenting is More than Macaroni
Kids create cute artwork with macaroni noodles. They learn to count with it. They string elbow macaroni on yarn to wear as necklaces around their neck. And of course, they love to chow on macaroni and cheese lunches.
Life for a child can seem as simple as macaroni, but parenting these little darlings is not so easy and carefree. For us, it’s much more than macaroni. Parenting gets complicated, demanding, exhausting, and is often a thankless job with little recognition for all the hard work and sleepless nights you put into it.
Oh, but who can resist a bear hug and sloppy kiss from your little one? Truly, that is the best thank you in the world.
While parenting is a lot of fun at times—full of play and laughter and big bear hugs—parenting is also hard work and a job that comes without an instruction manual.
Here are three things to consider when parenting:
1. Enjoy the Journey
Whether you’re excitedly expecting your first child, hurriedly chauffeuring your kids to and from ball practice, or muddling through the transition of teen years, enjoy each season of parenthood. It passes all too soon, then one day, you wake to an empty nest and wonder where the time went. You’ll never walk this way again, so don’t let it pass without stopping to appreciate it. Nothing matters more than the time you have right here, right now, with your children.
2. Be Present
Put down the phone, turn off the TV and video games, unplug the computer, and be present in the moment with your children. Your kids don’t need the latest gadgets and gizmos to make them happy, they need you. No one else can offer the love and attention your children crave like you can. When your kids are grown with children of their own, the stories they will tell their own children won’t be about the state-of-the-art computer you bought them or the popular toys of the day they played with; rather, your kids will share memories of family game nights, dinner with everyone gathered around the table, and books you read to them before bed. Being present today is not only a gift you give to your children; it’s a gift you give to yourself.
4. Invest Wisely
As they say, no one wishes they worked more or had more money at the end of their life. Wherever you are, begin right now, today, investing time, energy, and love in your children’s lives. That is an investment that pays dividends far more precious than money. The added bonus of investing yourself in your children is that it isn’t an investment affected by the ever-fluctuating stock market. The dividends never go down in value; they always go up with time.
Dear readers, I’m so excited to walk with you as we muddle through this parenting journey that is oh-so-much more than macaroni.
Got a parenting question or topic you would like to see covered? Leave a comment below!
Want more parenting articles? Check out My Parenting Manual Got Lost in the Mail.
