How are you raising your kid? Are you the helicopter parent who doesn’t give your kid a chance to breathe? Or are you the kind that let’s them experience life to the point that danger is just a part of their normal day?
Better yet, let me get to the heart of the matter: Are you the adult you want your child to be?
Kids follow examples: Act like a lazy bum and that’s all they’ll know adults to be. The same goes for being passive-aggressive, a jerk or nice.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately, as a friend posted something on the subject on Facebook recently.
As a parent and an adult, on my good days, I’m not sure I’m a decent role model. On my bad days … well, let’s just say I’m not a role model for anyone. Yet, I can’t turn off being a role model or parent.
As it gets colder, I’m finding it harder to exercise. I need to exercise. It keeps me even, so my good days outnumber my bad. I need that burst of energy and the calming of my mind.
With the cold had come the illnesses. We’re on round two of whatever germ my kids carried home from school three weeks ago. It’s hard to take time for yourself during the day when you spend your night helping your kid hover over the toilet.
So what to do? I’ve found myself doing shorter workouts throughout the day — 20 minutes in the morning, 10 after dinner, etc. When the kids are doing their own thing, I can do my thing. I’ve gotten back into yoga to stretch out my muscles and balance my muscle system.
What really is my thing, my cause? In this new year, I need some extra motivation. Motivation that will calm me when I need to be calm (when my kids are beating each other up because they can’t share). The motivation must also make me improve myself.
What is your motivation?
If you don’t let nothing happen to your child, nothing will happen. If they don’t know the boundaries, they’ll be just as bad off as the kids whose parents do nothing.
My motivation is more middle of the road. I want to be more kind but when my kids do something stupid, I want to guide them in a way that builds their self-confidence and self-worth.
So, my parenting goals for 2013 are simple: Find my happy place and help my kids find theirs (the theory: When mom’s happy, everyone is happy). Push them to try new things without scaring them.
Now to get the rest straightened out.
My running goals for 2013 are on my racing page.