The process of parenting is the delivery mechanism for culture. Not good/bad, right/wrong… just the way it is. How mindful are we – as parents and parental surrogates – of the power of our influence to shape reality for developing, young minds? How directed are we, in that process, to ensure compliance rather than exploration and discovery?
Consider the following love letter from Stela Murrizi to her young son, on his third birthday.
Dear Declan: A love letter on your third birthday
Long ago, as the mother of two small boys and step-mother of two young girls, I would often wonder how my children would answer the question: “What’s it like for you to have me, as your Mom?” Not a typical line of enquiry for a parent of their child… and one that I think we would find enlightening and provocative, at the very least; and a daring dive into our own evolution, as a compelling invitation to see ourselves through the eyes of our children. Perhaps we would do well to place more value on such a line of enquiry.
Enjoy!