Today is going to be a good day.
You are ready and able to take on the tasks that you need to take on.
You are ready and able to embrace the challenges you may encounter.
As a parent,
Your kids' needs are a constant in your life.
And that need for your continued attention can be draining.
Because you deal with the inherent conflicts that arise as your kids ask and ask again for things they need and things they don't need.
And when your child asks,
Sometimes you say yes.
Sometimes the yes is simply a response to care for their needs.
Maybe you reward them for good behavior or you are simply revealing your generous spirit.
But the other side of that coin is that you must say no when something is not right for your child.
Because that is part of this,
Of being a parent,
A good parent.
You set boundaries out of love.
You guide and direct to mitigate damage,
Hurt,
And loss.
And you are always in that place,
Needing to make decisions,
Important decisions.
Each one with potential repercussions and ripple effects.
And that daily stress,
That weight,
Can drag you down,
Taking with it your mood,
Your emotions,
Your clarity,
And your peace.
But you can do it.
You will do it.
You are ready and able to make the hard decisions and the easy ones because you are guided by your love,
Your unconditional love for your child.
You were built for this.
And guess what?
You won't always make the right decisions for your child.
And that's part of this too.
Part of being a person in this experience.
And when you make mistakes,
You must have grace for yourself.
No good will come from beating yourself up.
You are not perfect.
And you should not expect that of yourself.
But do you learn and grow?
Do you admit in front of your kids that you were wrong?
Embracing these learning opportunities doesn't mean that you are a weak parent or any less of a person.
On the contrary,
There is strength in the honesty of humility.
Maybe you're learning to be more firm when necessary,
To follow through with the guidelines that you set,
To be a parent that sticks to your word and creates a safe space for your child.
Kids crave the security of predictability.
And they operate so much better when they know the routines and boundaries of the home.
Providing those show them you care.
These limits give them a space to be safe and try on the emotions and actions they're learning to handle.
And maybe you're learning to let go.
For some of us,
That's the hardest part of raising kids.
When you've done your best and taught your child.
When you've instilled in them the importance of being kind,
Loving life,
And being a person of character.
When it's time,
You know.
The little bit of control you've had was temporary.
Your independence can be something that you aspire to rather than dread.
Welcoming the surrender that accompanies that independence may bring you closer to your kids and pave the way for a long and healthy relationship.
But at whatever stage you find yourself in the beautiful and complicated journey of raising kids,
You can always come back to that place of unconditional love where they know you love them for who they are.
And in that place,
Your love is the cornerstone of their lives.
Unconditional love trumps mistakes and will see them through.
It is the lifeline they will use to navigate the joys and tumult of this life.
And you,
Understanding the benefit of your love,
Will love more deeply and sleep more soundly,
Paving the way for your family to have the peace and freedom you deserve.
