Fast Forward and Face Your Legacy
Aaaah, parents. We love them. We remember their finest and not so finest attributes. As grown children, we can describe our parents with exceptionally fine detail. Now, imagine your child is grown. It’s her engagement dinner. As she stands up to toast life and share a story from her childhood, you wonder, will your face go flush as she begins to speak? Will she open up with a line like, “When my mother wasn’t yelling at us, she was correcting everything we did from sun up to sun down.” EEEK. Let’s hope not!
Now take a snapshot of how you interact with your children TODAY. Is it how you want to be remembered? What will the snapshot look, sound and feel like? Will you have an angry look on your face? Can you hear nagging in the background? Can you feel frustration between you and your children? Perhaps there are some things you’re happy about, while you’d prefer not to be remembered for others. Whatever it looks like, take this snapshot and put it on the mental fridge. Refer to it. It can guide you into becoming the parent you want to become.
Remember, if you want your child to say, “My mother gave me the opportunity and space to grow into a capable, independent person, and make my own decisions” – it takes respect and trust in your child. Start practicing now and you’ll discover you can be the parent you want to be remembered as.
- Choose the word or words you want your child to use when they describe you at 32.
- Watch yourself for 2 days and decide if you actually look like, sound like and act like that person.
- If not, what do you want to do differently?
- If so, congratulate yourself and keep going.
- Most parents I work with admit that the person they want their kids to remember, is not the person who shows up most days.
Learn more about the Parenting On Track™ Home Program and start crafting your legacy!
