 |
Further
Reading ...
|
|
Planning a baby shower
PLANNING THE SHOWER BABY SHOWER Every perfect baby shower begins with good planning. While this occasion is one for family and friends to gather and have a great time, the other aspect is the gift giving to help new parents as they prepare for...
A Dog Day Care Franchise - Is It Really Worth It?
When you take into account that there are over 68,000,000 dogs in the United States alone, you can see why many people consider taking advantage of a dog day care franchise.
However, before you even think about a dog day care franchise, please...
Creating A Baby Belly Mold Part
Hello everyone. First off, congratulations on having a baby. Its a big step, a step which should always be remembered. Making a belly mold i think is one of the neatest things i have done in a long time. Ours is hanging in our baby's...
Gift ideas for Chefs
Chef gift ideas for every man Do you know a man that loves to hang out in the kitchen and make wonderful dishes? Then you should look at chef gift ideas for every man. Whether he loves to grill or make those exquisite gourmet meals you will be able...
|
|
|
8 Gifts of Parenting
|
 |
Written By:
Lawrence Vijay Girard
|
|
|
No one who has hugged their child can doubt the gift of a child’s presence in their life. The love that is expressed in that simple act is one of the most profound ways that we experience love in this world. In order to nurture the special relationship of parent and child, and fulfill our roles as parents, there are number of things that we are signing up to do. Here is a list of eight essential ways to fulfill our parental responsibilities.
These are gifts that we should freely give to our children without thought of what we will receive in return for our efforts.
- The Gift of Life. It is easy to forget that in the act of receiving a child into our lives we are sharing the gift of life itself. Remembering the precious nature of life can help us to keep the ups and downs of daily life in a proper perspective.
- The Gift of Love. The most essential ingredient for a happy life is love. There is no feeling more satisfying to the soul, both in giving and receiving, then love. When we include a conscious awareness of this truth and nurture it as the most basic value of our relationship with our children, we will find that many mistakes – on both sides – can be weathered.
- The Gift of Time. Time is the proof of our caring. When you spend time with your child you are saying with your actions: I love you and I would rather be with you than doing anything else. This is one of the best ways that you can objectify your love. It is also one of the greatest blessings.
- The Gift of Good Manners. Children from a young age can be taught to behave. This isn’t an imposition on their free will. It is a gift that will enhance their lives. The process of developing good manners will help them to begin learning to see how others are affected by their actions. Through the establishment of basic good manners we are giving our children a skill that will benefit them in every other part of life.
- The Gift of Self-Control. Through the establishment of good manners from the very beginning we are planting the seeds of a character trait that can serve as a strong support for success in any endeavor: Self-Control. Practice cultivating self-control in your own self first. Then attune yourself to ways that you can instill these same values in your children.
- The Gift of Positive Mental Culture. By bringing the principles of positive thinking into all areas of life we develop in our children the experience that all good things are possible. Positive mental culture includes ten overarching areas of development: Non-Violence, Non- Lying, Non-Greed, Non-Sensuality, Non-Covetousness, Cleanliness, Contentment, Self-Control, Self-Study, and Devotion to God.
- The Gift of Education. An academic education isn’t essential for living successfully in this world. There have been numbers of great people throughout - continued below ...
|
|
|
continued ...
history who couldn’t read or write. But next to those great souls who can shine in spite of this lack of formal training, there are millions who could advance their lives immensely if they could but read and write. It isn’t enough that we simply send our children to school. This is a gift that opens up a world of information and possibilities for our children. Don’t leave this area to chance.
The Gift of Reverence for All Life. Along with these most basic gifts we need to add a reverence for the sanctity of all life. While we can’t make our children believe in God or appreciate the beauty and value of the incredible variety of life forms that inhabit our planet, we can communicate our own belief. Not to share your view on these issues is to - by default - preach that they have no value. The communication and application of the highest aspects of life should always be at the forefront of family life.
Given the mixture of things that we want to share with our children we will need to mix and match according to how the soup is cooking. This is one of the beauties of life – its variety and spontaneity. It will, no doubt, turn out different than what we had anticipated in the beginning. If we give our children these eight gifts we will be well on our way to fulfilling our duties as parents and sharing with them the tools that will allow them to experience the best that life has to offer.
© 2003 Lawrence Girard
This article has been provided to you courtesy of Lawrence Vijay Girard, author of Positive Flow Parenting. For more information about his books, articles and seminars, visit his website at http://FruitgardenPublishing.Com
Lawrence Vijay Girard is the author of Positive Flow Parenting. Along with being a parent of twins and serving in the past as a soccer coach, scout leader and martial arts instructor, he is currently the spiritual director of the Anandagiri Path of Self-Realization and has more than 30 years of experience in practicing and sharing principles and techniques for integrating spiritual truths with the challenges of daily life.
LawrenceGirard@FruitgardenPublishing.Com
Article Title: 8 Gifts of Parenting Author Name: Lawrence Vijay Girard Email: LawrenceGirard@FruitgardenPublishing.Com Word Count: 766 Category: Parenting / Self-Improvement Copyright Date: 2003 Web Address: http://www.FruitgardenPublishing.com Reprint Instructions: You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, provided the contents are not changed and the bylines and URL are included. You must notify the author if published. A copy of printed publication is appreciated.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| _Additional Resources ... |
|
R... E... S... P... E... C... T...: Four Tips For Teaching Your Child Respect
One of the most important things you can teach your child is respect. Teaching a child to be respectful is not as difficult as it may seem. The best way to teach respect is to show respect. But first, we must understand what it means to show...
Michigan CPS is Out for Blood Again!
The Michigan CPS (Child Protective Services), is up to the old tricks they have been using for a long time to destroy families in Michigan. They must have forgotten that their mandate is supposed to be to save the children, NOT put them in danger! ...
DINNER TABLE DRAMA
It has been a long day. Home from work, you put together a nice, healthy dinner for the entire family to enjoy. Gathering the family around the table, you sit down to eat and within a minute, a voice pipes up, “I don’t like anything.” Encouraging,...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
