Voting in the 2008 Presidential Elections will always be memorable for me. Not only because Ava drew a smiley face in the white space of my ballot... but because the experience has taught me so much...
As our children grow with wonder, so too does our parental responsibility. Their curiosity and questions challenge us, causing us to go into a spiral of reflection and ask ourselves... hmmm... well, what do I really think about that? And why haven't I done anything about it before?
Why be unhappy with a system that doesn't work when our children reach that door? Why not dive into the issues now, and work towards improving it - so that when our children grow, and are out there in the real world, they have a sense of value in what it means to work hard for the common good of all.
My parents have taught me that. In the 30 years they have been here in America, they have worked hard, facing many obstacles and sacrifices. I realize that profoundly each and every day - appreciating their commitment to family, and modeling how hard work and patience will help you achieve your goals.
I don't have the same worries nor the challenges of raising a family like they did. Our family experiences vary by several degrees and decades. But no matter how different they are, our final thought - as parents - are the same: How can I provide a better life for my children.
It is this answer to this question that has kept my parents moving. First, of leaving life as they knew it, behind in Afghanistan so that my sister and I would have a chance at getting a good education. Then, building upon each day....from saving dimes, to one day owning their own home... while retaining strong family values like eating dinner together every night as a family...
All of these moments truncate to our own parenting. It may have taken them 30 years - but I believe they are both proud of how far they have come... when they look into the eyes of their grandchildren and see... their happiness.
Modeling our parenting extends beyond our homes... well into our neighborhood, community, and country. And I can't think of a better way to demonstrate this extension, than to bubble our ballot and vote - with smiley faces...
this post struck a cord with me - lately I have been questioning my lifestyle (eating and exercise habits) and thanks to your post I am going to have to pass on the next soda and chocolate bar so that my children can choose water and fruit instead.... although you talk abou voting ...a social responsibility .. nevertheless it all start with ...individual responsibility ... thanks for the post - a great way to start a new week!
ReplyDeleteThank you my dear... I use to think I could get away with my "bad" habits before the age of 2. From my understanding, that's when they start remembering everything... and mimic what we do. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteWell, as you know, Ava is almost 3 - so I've really stretched my buffer and have to spend some time thinking about implementing new changes [I wish I didn't love coke so much...].
Here's to modeling responsibly for the rest of our lives parenting together!