On being a parent

I believe that parenting our children is our most important job. Unfortunately, it is the job that we are least prepared to handle. We have been taught our maths and letters, we have been taught skills to use at work. But the skills of raising a child is sorely lacking in all of us.

Some might disagree with this and say but we clothe them, we send them to school, we give them what they need. And I agree with this. There is, however, a part that remains unattended and left to chance--their emotional and spiritual growth. By spiritual I don't mean religion. By spiritual I mean their person. Who we are at the deepest level of our being. This is the part that is the least nurtured. This is so, not because parents don't want to nurture this part, it is so because we don't know what to do to nurture this part. We parent the way we were raised because there is no other way to learn the skill of parenting.

Parents today are lucky because there are resources that abound. There are books, magazines, even speakers who talk about raising children. I am one of those who advocate for the child through better parenting practices. After all, the parent is the child's main formator. The teachers and other mentors are just their partners.

Children are God's gifts to humankind. They were given in our care to nurture, grow and guide so that they can reach their true potential. Reaching their potential and their destiny will be difficult, however, if they carry their hurts and bruises until they die.

My partners and I will reach out to parents through seminars and workshops that will help them nurture their child's inner life.

Time with the kids

I am 42 years old with an active one year old son. I have been working for 20 years now and don't know any other way of life. I have had the pleasure of staying home these past few days and yesterday witnessed interactions that brought home the importance of being available to the kids.

It was merienda time and Jenny, my sister-in-law who works from home, had merienda for the kids. There was boiled saba mixed with condensed milk that needed crushed ice. She brought out her ice crusher and the kids had the time of their lives cranking it up and making crushed ice for their merienda. The laughter and the light in their eyes was something to see.

In my years with Working Mom Magazine, all the experts say that it is times like these that the children treasure. How can one create times like this if one is absent from home?

In the company of kids

Kids--they seem to rule my world these days. They HAVE ruled my world--ever since my first nephew was born almost 10 years ago--I have preferred to spend time with them rather than dawdle at the dining room. I keep them company while the rest of the adult world are doing adult stuff. I entertained them with their cars--creating cliffs and ravines with the pillows for the cars to run down and turn turtle. They learned that word from me.

Why now though, now that it's my son's turn to get that fun piece of me, do I find myself turning into the adult I have dreaded? Where is that fun woman who got into the world of the other children? Although I can still crawl under the table with him, I find myself running out of things to do with him. I am determined to find her--and show Javo that person. I need to look for activities to do with him. What is a sedentary, usually couch-potato person, going to play with an active, ready-to-explore the world toddler?

I am hiding behind this post to get my energy and interact with Javo the way I know I can. I should stop hiding, go out and play.

The order of things

I am home now when I usually am at the office at this time. I am taking a leap of faith and resigning in a week. It's time to pursue what's closest to my heart--that of being the voice for children. First things first though, I need to get my household in order. I haven't really had time to orient my yaya and inform her of our expectations. This I intend to do before the end of the day. I believe this is what is stopping the magic once more.
There seems to be so much detail involved in keeping house. And my house consists of one room and a bathroom since we live with the rest of the family. How does one straddle the middle ground--being kind but firm--to the people who help us raise our children. I guess like any relationship, it's all in communication.
Thank goodness for the book Keep it Together before chaos by Frannie S. Daez...it is helping me get my act together...starting today.