Sacrifice

I am so tired of some of the excuses that some parents use to justify why they are not actively involved in their children's lives. I look at the excuses as just that - excuses. Children deserve an opportunity to explore, an opportunity to see a life outside of the life that they already know.

The excuses that I hear run the gamut. From I have to work, to I don't have money, to that's not for me, to I need to get some rest, we are holding our children back from being the best that they can be. We are not affording them opportunities to be better than what we were. Quite frankly, we are ruining our children. And on top off all of that, because of all of the hoopla with social media, in the future, we will see a generation of people who have very little or no social skills (but we can discuss this further during a later blog entry).

I have witnessed single mothers spread themselves super thin just to make sure that their children had opportunities. Hell, take me for example. I worked a full-time job, went to school full-time, and still made sure that my girls participated in the extra-curricular activities that assisted them in being the well-rounded women that they are today. They attended summer camps and vacation Bible schools, as well as participated in College Reach Out programs and other programs that were offered to youth throughout the community. Their development was so important to me that I worked my schedule around their schedules. I put my life on hold and I put them first. I dropped one of them off to tennis practice, and scurried across town to make sure that the others attended cheerleading and basketball practice. I didn't miss a parent/teacher meeting and I served on the school's advisory council. And on top of all of that, I prepared home-cooked meals and took care of the household mommy duties (geesh, I'm tired just thinking about those days).

My girls and I even had weekly "date nights" - those nights that we went out and did whatever they wanted to do. I showed them that I cared, that I was concerned about their upbringing and their success.

Wow! As a single parent, I now look back and can give myself a pat on the back because I survived. And others can do it to. Keep reminding yourself about the expeced outcomes and how your children will benefit from the sacrifices that you make on their behalf. Stop making excuses and just do it. An excuse is a release from an obligation or duty, but we are obligated to be the support that our children deserve. Get totally involved and show your children that you care about the whole them. Our children deserve to have parents that are nurturing, loving, and caring.

Make sure that if you are a parent, your life is about your children . . . and not about you. The day that you became a parent is the day that your wants and desires became secondary. Our children are important, their development should be the foremost concern of parents.

Sacrificing now will ensure that you witness your children at their fullest potential.

Smooches . . .