Grades
"I love my life" - Danielle Fisher 1/30/2007
When your a parent, you have a dream for your children. Many of us want our children to be successful. Get good grades in high school, go to college, get a good job. Maybe a doctor, or a lawyer. How do you measure the quality of your parenting? Perhaps their current grades? Whether or not they stay out of trouble? When you have a 15 year old it can be very tough to know if your doing a good job. I try not to be too invasive. 15 year olds need their privacy. But I still insist on knowing whats going on in her life, although I usually get one word answers, or just an "I don't know". For the most part she is already an adult. Who she is now is really a function of the first 12 or 13 years of her life, although she occasionally needs to be turned in the right direction.
I worry. I mean I really worry. Did I read to her enough? Did I help her with her homework enough? Do I give her too much room to breathe? Not enough? Do I spend enough time with her? Do I tell her "I love you" enough? Does she know how important she is to me? With all the attention we give to our 15 month twins, does my 15 year old get enough of our attention? Does she know we still love her just the same?
On the way home from Walmart tonight, one of her favorite songs came on the radio.
"I love my life" she said
"Do you really mean that?" I asked
"yeah" she said honestly
"Do you really love yourself, do you really love who you've become?" I asked
"yeah" she said with the same honesty
"Then that's all that matters" I reassured her.
Fact is, I don't really care so much if Danielle becomes a doctor or a McDonald's manager. What I do worry about is that Danielle is happy. I mean really happy. Danielle does love herself, and for that I give my wife and I an A+
When your a parent, you have a dream for your children. Many of us want our children to be successful. Get good grades in high school, go to college, get a good job. Maybe a doctor, or a lawyer. How do you measure the quality of your parenting? Perhaps their current grades? Whether or not they stay out of trouble? When you have a 15 year old it can be very tough to know if your doing a good job. I try not to be too invasive. 15 year olds need their privacy. But I still insist on knowing whats going on in her life, although I usually get one word answers, or just an "I don't know". For the most part she is already an adult. Who she is now is really a function of the first 12 or 13 years of her life, although she occasionally needs to be turned in the right direction.
I worry. I mean I really worry. Did I read to her enough? Did I help her with her homework enough? Do I give her too much room to breathe? Not enough? Do I spend enough time with her? Do I tell her "I love you" enough? Does she know how important she is to me? With all the attention we give to our 15 month twins, does my 15 year old get enough of our attention? Does she know we still love her just the same?
On the way home from Walmart tonight, one of her favorite songs came on the radio.
"I love my life" she said
"Do you really mean that?" I asked
"yeah" she said honestly
"Do you really love yourself, do you really love who you've become?" I asked
"yeah" she said with the same honesty
"Then that's all that matters" I reassured her.
Fact is, I don't really care so much if Danielle becomes a doctor or a McDonald's manager. What I do worry about is that Danielle is happy. I mean really happy. Danielle does love herself, and for that I give my wife and I an A+
posted by Jim Fisher at 7:13 PM
2 Comments:
This one's the latest addition to my list of all-time favorite blog posts. Fantastic. Aside from salvation itself, I can't imagine anything that would make me more satisfied as a parent. You and your wife get an A+++ in my book!
I've been busy lately, but this just proves again that I really need to get over here more often!
Thanks again Forester. I love the abortion post on your favorites list. Great stuff
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