A hat is tipped for every
parent today who gives good discipline and gives moral guidance to their children. Ages 0-7 are a child’s most formative years
in a child’s life when it comes to moral values. No matter how much outside influence the
world has waiting for them, as long as their core values are tightly woven and dictate
how they function as good human beings.
My imperfect parents were strict;
it seemed we were not allowed to do anything, at least in the mind of a
reckless child. Like all young people,
we didn’t have the concept of “brakes” in our lives. I guess this is why we have parents. Parents are responsible for guiding us to
know when to apply our brakes. Although
my parents were strict, I learned to discern the difference between good and
bad decisions.
Imagine someone who grew
up in a very innocent place such as the Philippines where there was no concept of “rights” or personal
liberties such as it is here in the U.S. When
exposed to it at a young age (19), the transition from teenage to the “party”
years, I was faced with dangerous influences from time to time. At a party once, I was offered some hard
drugs and although a little intoxicated from the already taboo gin and tonic, I
still had the presence of mind to refuse it.
I quickly understood that my parents were strict for a reason, and now
when that reason manifested itself, I was very grateful that they were. One bad decision could have led me to a life
of regrets. But I’m pretty sure that my
reaction to their discipline was very distasteful to them. I realized and felt the same wrath from my
two children when it was my turn to do the same. As they look back to this when they become
parents, they would realize the same.
And so on and so forth.
I’ve always taught my kids
to share, care, sympathize, respect, pray, love, show affection, discipline etc. I’m proud to be the parent of two children
who possess all of these, and more, and it calms the worries that a parent has
about their kids after being flung into the mix as they come of age.
I have a little story
about my son Jordan at the age of 6, when I was going through one of the worst
phases of my life. I believe I was upset
at that time sitting on the couch when he sat next to me and rubbed my back
with his little baby hand and said, “Mom, don’t cry, let’s go! I have $26, I’m taking you out to
dinner.” Imagine the instant shock and
joy from this unprompted invitation! We
got dressed and went to a little Chinese buffet and when the waitress came to
hand me the check, I motioned for her to give it to the little cutie across the
table. She handed him the check and he
reached into his pocket and pulled counted out $8 from the money he had been
saving and proudly handed it to her.
What a special boy! I don’t worry
that Jordan will make someone a happy wife one day and be a
great father.
It is undeniable that good
parenting is a difficult feat that is not to be taken lightly. It is a great responsibility to be a
parent. It is not a business to have
more so that the government can support the family whose heads just don’t want
to work. This almost always leads to
sheer catastrophes. At first I was
shocked to hear about the horrible and tragic stories in the news about how
people with children handle theirs, but it seems to be happening daily lately, that
the shock value has diminished. We need
to realize that just because our parents had done us wrong, it is important to
break the chain and make the change for our own children. It takes a mature and rational thinker to do
so. Can you just imagine if children
everywhere were as respectful as they were in Beaver Cleaver era? Even the obnoxious Eddie Haskell was overly
polite when dealing with June!
Till my next rant…. LOVE
ONE ANOTHER!
