Goals
Someone asked me this question not too long ago concerning Samantha and William. At first thought I couldn't just bust out the answer and that kind of threw me. What are my most important life goals for the kids? This post today is me thinking out loud so please bear with me and feel free to add to the list or what your life goals is/were for your wee ones!
Hmmm....
1- Good health
I would hope that this would be an important life goal for me to teach the kids. As we get on to them to eat right, so they don't get sick or pass on due to bad eating habits that lead to health issues. Brush their teeth, so their teeth last them a good 50+ years and don't fall out. Take care of their outer bodies, as in bathe regularly. Personal hygiene, if you will.
(And these aren't in any certain order either. Just whatever shoots up to the forefront first.)
2- Safety
We all want our kids at a young age to stay away from light sockets, chocking hazards and water so not to drown. As they age we try and keep them safe by talking to them about strangers while still reminding them of sockets, chocking and water hazards. When they shoot up to preteen and teen years we still reinforce the no talking to strangers, bullying, driving properly. And I imagine when the kids move off on their own there will be lots more to add to the list we've started since their birth.
3- Love
How do you teach anyone to love? Show them. You give it like you want it and they receive it, you hope for the best that they will adapt it to their lives and be just as outwardly as well as inwardly loving in return. Some take longer than others to pick it up but once they figure it out it becomes second nature. Example: From the time the kids were born until now, 16 and 12 years later, there hasn't been a day gone by when I don't tell the kids at least a handful of times that I love them. Now? I don't even have to say it and the kids will come up and say I love you. It's part of our lives and it makes me smile inside knowing that they learned that from me.
4-Respect and honor
Sometimes I think these two go hand in hand. To honor yourself and/or others is to give and receive respect. I will always believe that these two can not be demanded because what that demand turns into, in my eyes, is fear. There's a big bad world out there with plenty of things and people that you might fear but the closest in your life, you should never have to fear. Thus, respect and honor, if guided right AND with an abundance of patience will develop and be shown. To themselves, and to others.
I would say that loyalty would be a strong contender for my list but I don't really know if this can be taught or just self learned. Example: When I was a teen I ran around with a friend of mine that had a cool mom. When we got into some pretty bad trouble my own mom forbade me to see them any longer. I refused and sided with my friend and her mom and hurt my mom. And I knew the minute the internal betrayal became visible and we both noticed. I carried that moment with me for years feeling that I had no loyalty for my mother. Especially after all the unconditional everything that she had always shown to me. I never had to learn that lesson in loyalty again and it was taken with me in all relationships thus far.
5- UN conditional Love
I do believe there is a difference between love and unconditional love. Boundaries, lines and the such. You try putting at least one up and you get love. Never put them up and no matter what, unconditional love is born. Example: No matter the hell I go through with my kids I will always, unconditionally love them. Whatever they become, what ever they rise or fail to be, I will love them. I might not agree, see eye to eye, or even condone their actions, motives, words. But I will always love them. To love something or someone still has depth and strong meaning but there is love that you can walk away from or let go of. I hope you see the differences as I do so I'm making more sense while you read this.
As of now those are the main life goals for my kids that I try to teach. But...and yes, there will always be a but...there will always be many, many, many different ways to teach all of these that I have listed. Some will agree with your teachings, some won't, some will fight you on them and some will help guide you. My point to this one paragraph is to try to have an open mind to as much as possible. One day it will be you trying to teach and hoping you can do it whether it be all alone or with help.
We all are teachers of something. And we are all better in somethings than we are in others. We will all fail at something but it's up to us to keep going and keep trying.
If not...
Who will???
Hmmm....
1- Good health
I would hope that this would be an important life goal for me to teach the kids. As we get on to them to eat right, so they don't get sick or pass on due to bad eating habits that lead to health issues. Brush their teeth, so their teeth last them a good 50+ years and don't fall out. Take care of their outer bodies, as in bathe regularly. Personal hygiene, if you will.
(And these aren't in any certain order either. Just whatever shoots up to the forefront first.)
2- Safety
We all want our kids at a young age to stay away from light sockets, chocking hazards and water so not to drown. As they age we try and keep them safe by talking to them about strangers while still reminding them of sockets, chocking and water hazards. When they shoot up to preteen and teen years we still reinforce the no talking to strangers, bullying, driving properly. And I imagine when the kids move off on their own there will be lots more to add to the list we've started since their birth.
3- Love
How do you teach anyone to love? Show them. You give it like you want it and they receive it, you hope for the best that they will adapt it to their lives and be just as outwardly as well as inwardly loving in return. Some take longer than others to pick it up but once they figure it out it becomes second nature. Example: From the time the kids were born until now, 16 and 12 years later, there hasn't been a day gone by when I don't tell the kids at least a handful of times that I love them. Now? I don't even have to say it and the kids will come up and say I love you. It's part of our lives and it makes me smile inside knowing that they learned that from me.
4-Respect and honor
Sometimes I think these two go hand in hand. To honor yourself and/or others is to give and receive respect. I will always believe that these two can not be demanded because what that demand turns into, in my eyes, is fear. There's a big bad world out there with plenty of things and people that you might fear but the closest in your life, you should never have to fear. Thus, respect and honor, if guided right AND with an abundance of patience will develop and be shown. To themselves, and to others.
I would say that loyalty would be a strong contender for my list but I don't really know if this can be taught or just self learned. Example: When I was a teen I ran around with a friend of mine that had a cool mom. When we got into some pretty bad trouble my own mom forbade me to see them any longer. I refused and sided with my friend and her mom and hurt my mom. And I knew the minute the internal betrayal became visible and we both noticed. I carried that moment with me for years feeling that I had no loyalty for my mother. Especially after all the unconditional everything that she had always shown to me. I never had to learn that lesson in loyalty again and it was taken with me in all relationships thus far.
5- UN conditional Love
I do believe there is a difference between love and unconditional love. Boundaries, lines and the such. You try putting at least one up and you get love. Never put them up and no matter what, unconditional love is born. Example: No matter the hell I go through with my kids I will always, unconditionally love them. Whatever they become, what ever they rise or fail to be, I will love them. I might not agree, see eye to eye, or even condone their actions, motives, words. But I will always love them. To love something or someone still has depth and strong meaning but there is love that you can walk away from or let go of. I hope you see the differences as I do so I'm making more sense while you read this.
As of now those are the main life goals for my kids that I try to teach. But...and yes, there will always be a but...there will always be many, many, many different ways to teach all of these that I have listed. Some will agree with your teachings, some won't, some will fight you on them and some will help guide you. My point to this one paragraph is to try to have an open mind to as much as possible. One day it will be you trying to teach and hoping you can do it whether it be all alone or with help.
We all are teachers of something. And we are all better in somethings than we are in others. We will all fail at something but it's up to us to keep going and keep trying.
If not...
Who will???
Comments
I think you have it all together!
Hugs!
Loving me some Baby Today!
(((HUG)))
mammy