When our son, Dalton, was in elementary school, he and I sat down one day and decided to write down our job titles and discuss who we were. I think this was a school project, but I can’t remember for sure. Either way, it was a real turning point for me.
I chose to put mine in order from birth forward so I could figure them out. Mine was typed on the computer while Dalton sat at his desk and wrote his on a piece of green colored paper.
I typed, “I came into this world as Ron and Denise’s daughter, which also made me a granddaughter, a great-granddaughter, a niece, and a cousin. Then, as time moved forward, I became a sister to Shauna, a neighbor, a friend to many, and a girlfriend to some. I was a student, a volunteer, an employee, John’s wife, a daughter-in-law, a sister-in-law, an auntie, a business owner, and now I’m the most important person I’ll ever be … I’m your mommy.”
Dalton’s said something like, “Son, grandkid, nephew, cousin, student, friend,” and something really funny that I can’t remember now about his chores and being my slave. I just remember the two of us laughing for a long time about it when we shared what we wrote. (I would give anything to find the sheet of paper he wrote on that day!!!)
Straightforward Tips for Parenting at Your Best
Take the time to write down your roles in life, then put them in order of importance, and allocate your time accordingly. Granted, working takes up a ton of time, but there are other sacrifices that can be made to spend more time and effort with the people you love most.
That lesson alone taught me that I am far more than just a business owner. In fact, while work is where I spend at least 1/3 of my time, it is not the most important place to spend my time. Knowing how to separate the two has always been a real struggle for me. I hope you make better choices than I did.
Excerpt from Parenting At Your Best by Roni Wing Lambrecht
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