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Independence
Thursday, October 21, 2010 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Have you thought about your goal for raising your child? Seriously, what is your goal in being a parent?
Yes, I know. Sometimes, our goals are to get a shower and to get some sleep (if we are lucky!). Sometimes it is trying to get our child to eat. Everyone once in a while, I take a step back and think about the bigger picture. I did this a lot when I was pregnant. I couldn't wait to hold that newborn in my arms, but also thought a lot about what I really, really wanted for that child.
There's nothing like parenthood. It's indescribable. People will tell their stories. Yours may be similiar, but it will be different.
When my baby finally came (after one failed induction and at 42 weeks - YAHOO!
), I wanted nothing more than to sit, stare, and hold her. We spent many, many hours doing just that. Just her and I (and A LOT of nursing).
Infancy came and with it, I began to see this little person. With smiles and coos, a personality began to shine through. I wanted to hold her, but she began to want to sit, and eventually stand on her own.
Look out! Then, came toddlerhood. She IS an independent little being (and not afraid to tell me ALL about it!). I still want to hold her. She's off and running now so I find magic in sneaking in her room at night and kissing her gently on her forehead as she sleeps.
She is doing all the right things. She is growing and developing as expected.
My goal for parenthood? It has always been to raise a healthy and happy human being. It IS for her to become independent. I believe that should be a core goal for all of us.
How do you balance protecting your child while also giving them the independence and opportunity to develop as a human being? Do you send them to preschool or not? What other external influences (i.e. television) do you allow in their lives, and how will these sources affect your child's development?
The time we have our babies and toddlers can be challenging, but in retrospect, it is also very short and sweet. Soon, they will be running, literally, on their own. Someday we'll watch them go and we'll know we've done our job. We've given them wings. We'll watch them fly.
For now, I'm holding on as tight as I can.
