Being a parent is hard. It’s important to realize we all have our own struggles. Some bigger than others and some we would never dare to tell anyone. Perhaps they don’t feel important enough or are just plain embarrassing.
We live in a society that has a lot of judgement. Judgement on how we raise our children, what we feed them, how they behave, what they wear. With all this going on around us, the one thing I do not see happening enough is lifting one another up.
A lot of times we are having the same struggles silently. Why not help each other out? As parents the constant wonder, stress and anxiety surrounding our parental decision making follows us around daily. Why not learn and grow from one another?
Let’s make a commitment to one another. If you see someone struggling and you have been there, be their light. Swoop in and lend a hand, give them some advice, bring them a meal, or just be there to listen. Sometimes it’s important to just know we are not alone. It’s important to know we have support from outside our immediate circle. It’s important to feel heard and understood. It’s also important for us to feel fulfilled in knowing we have done something to lift up another person who is struggling.
Whether it’s helping a complete stranger pick up her spilled groceries in the supermarket parking lot as she’s trying to get her kids into the car, or talking to a friend who needs your support and encouragement during a difficult time. Being a light in a dark situation will never get old.
I wish parenting wasn’t so isolating. It should be a journey we are on together to raise the next generation. Our children are the future and what we instill in them now shapes who they become later. If we are not confident, how can we expect them to be? If we do not help one another, how will they learn to help others? We need each other, to learn from and grow with. We need our children to see us lead by example. We need one another in order to strengthen each other. Let’s be there for those in need and let’s not be afraid to reach out for them when we need them the most.
