HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Things have already been busy. I am still a working mom of three, working full time, trying to make a difference. I share my experiences on this blog so that we can learn together. Below are some thoughts, hacks, and/or lessons that I have learned from navigating my world.
As the New Year unfolds, I am filled with a variety of emotions—wistfulness, joy, and heartfelt gratitude.
If you have been a follower of this blog you know that I try hard to provide my children with the best possible life. However, I haven't been transparent about what I have endured. There are many things that one can accomplish by sheer will and determination. However, building a family with another person is not one of them. Last year, my relationship exploded, and I have been wading through the shrapnel ever since.
In the midst of the worst time in my life, I was reeling, trying to make sense of the events and trying to find a way through. Attempting to make sense of it all... I asked myself one simple question. And, the answer to that question filled me with hope and reinforced my purpose.
The question was this: What do I need to feel good about my choices?
This answer was revealed to me. I need to believe in my soul that my kids are alright. For me, that means that I need to observe them being healthy, whole, and happy. I need to provide a financially secure life for them and have time to enjoy life with them. It means that I need to get to know them to identify what they like to do and provide them with opportunities to do those things. I need to keep my finger on the pulse of their lives to create opportunities for them. And I need to hear them laugh. In a word, I need to parent them well and promote their good.
I recently recognized that not everyone will approve of how I do this and that is OK. All that matters is whether I feel good about those choices and whether I am confident that I am achieving the desired result. I assess my progress by listening to my kids and measuring their achievement toward the goals.
That said, this post is not about how parents should become martyrs. I believe that parents should carve out time for themselves to enjoy life without their kids. And I do that. That said, my life choices demonstrate that I put them first. Doing that sometimes requires intense sacrifice. However, I have that is necessary for their wellbeing.
I also realize that this parenting pathway is not a popularity contest. Instead, parenting is about committing to the work, identifying goals, doing the work, and having the resolve to see it through. Praying for the strength and resolve to give my kids everything they need.
Please pray for me!!!
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