If there is one thing in life I could honestly say is the most fulfilling it would be fatherhood. I would choose this one parent life over any career. The sense of accomplishment, respect, and responsibility are the reasons why I wake up every morning giving thanks for the three beautiful lives I helped bring into this world.
From the crack of dawn, each morning brings new challenges to conquer and little minds to teach. Whether it’s helping my little one with her first guinea pig, or using my once callus covered hands to slowly clean earrings that seem to fall everywhere, this is a life I would not change for anything. Fatherhood should be considered a privilege instead of an obligation.
Unfortunately, most men don’t embrace this same theory. The Alpha-male persona of hard work, provide, and come home late is considered rewarding in this material- ridden age. But consider what you are missing as you head off to work doing the same thing every day and complaining about it all the way home.
The challenges of raising children should not be considered a challenge at all. Every day brings something new and keeps the mind fresh with ideas and extensive planning that allows every thing to fall into place. These little minds need you to be their leader in a world where leaders are scarce, to say the least.
Granted, we all need time to ourselves to refresh our minds and take care of those adult things we don’t want our children to see. This is natural, but there can be a balance of family if it is looked at and both parents step out-of-the-box to find time for it. I am not a saint when it comes to balance, but we all learn from our mistakes.
Since my first child was born, my life has been revolving around her needs. The next two children came and soon after made the process worse between balancing time and relationships. The outcome is one you have been reading about and has become all too common in American society.
Adults seem to forget why they form relationships in the first place; moreover, the responsibilities involved once they bring children into this world. The end result is adults becoming children again looking for someone to play with. Most important, they (adults) forget who is home begging for attention. Ironically, it’s not the children; it’s the adults (spouses) who have become bored, as some would say, with the so-called routine life they wanted in the first place.
Raising children is easy if you are a leader. You make the rules, meals, and do the little things that your children need and ask for and their minds are happy. Problem is most parents let their children raise them. The idea of “I want” or “I need” is something you teach children to understand. Most important, it is a process.
Consider this Alpha-male perspective. Your home is your business and you are the CEO of that business. You make the rules, set boundaries, and coordinate daily events to keep that business running. Sort of like the job you are in now, but you see where I’m coming from.
I’m not asking you to create a corner office in your house with your children needing an appointment to see you. The most successful companies have their CEO’s right there with their employee’s teaching, coaching, and providing a stable work environment. Sound familiar?
Most of all is the simple act of love. Children feel love, but it is up to the parent to give it, teach this powerful emotion, and not be afraid to show it. Parents are not their children’s best friend as some would consider, but the teacher of life that they need in order to grow.
I am not perfect, nor a person who would dare to be. I just consider myself blessed with three little minds that know their dad has found a way to be there for them all the time. The adage “stop, drop, and roll” is something you should consider.
Stop means to listen. Drop means to be there at any cost. And roll means make the effort to be where they need you to be. In other words, the simple things, if you are there, would make them proud and smile from ear to ear.
How powerful is my perspective? The one thing I remember growing up was my parents coming to only one baseball game. That game I hit the winning run and never got a hit for the rest of the season. Stop, drop, and roll and watch your children excel beyond your wildest dreams.
Jerry Scott Maldonado is the author of “Columns, Quotes & The American Dream.” Tate Publishing Group, due out October 2010. He is a featured columnist for The D.C.G Network of news sites: Sundaynewscape.com, Onequestionnews.com, and Imperialvalleynews.com. Jerry’s work has also been featured internationally.