Before my kids were born there was no shortage of advice on how I should raise them.
Advice such as rituals that I needed to follow – cutting their hair for the first time and walking them during an eclipse – or how to discipline them – take away their toys or don’t be afraid to rest a hand on them.
As with any advice, I would always apply some critical thinking to it – there could be no correlation between the child’s health and earth’s shadow somehow falling on the moon.
Instead, I’ve found that as with everything, parenting is still a learning exercise. And by that, I mean you have to be willing to learn to be a better parent.
I don’t think I’m the greatest dad by any means, but I will always try to be better than I was yesterday. Sometimes I feel disappointed when my kids aren’t doing something I feel they should be doing – like not being involved in some kind of sport. But then I have to remind myself on what basis am I making that distinction.
I believe my kids to be happy and content. They could be a bit more studious and could help around the house a little more, but otherwise, they do not misbehave.
People continue to give me advice, and I continue to listen.
From all the advice I’ve been given, I can say one thing for sure about parenting – we are all winging it here.