Navigating Parenthood: Helping Your Child Find Their Own Path

When it comes to discussing random things, Joy is my go-to person. There's something special about her that I can't seem to wrap my head around. She's filled with wit, and her take on matters is out of this world. Discussing with her has perks and pitfalls. One of the perks is that we learn new things from each other, and the only disadvantage is that we mostly argue before we arrive at a point. We often have contrasting opinions, which makes us raise our voices at each other. On one beautiful day, Joy sent me a message on WhatsApp that read: "What kind of parent would you make? Do you think you'd make a great parent?"

At that time, I was in the kitchen washing plates while listening to one of Alec Benjamin’s song. Joy’s messge popped up in my notification bar but the message didn’t fully display. I was so curious about what it entailed. After I finished washing the plates, I quickly wiped my hands, turned on my phone and navigated to WhatsApp. “What kind of parent would I make.” I thought to myself. Just when I was about to start writing my reply, I discovered that my head was blank. I thought I could answer the question easily, but the answer was somewhere locked in my head. Who could’ve thought I wouldn’t be able to answer such question directly.

I have always admired the idea of being a parent. It is something I think about a lot. Of course, everything will happen when the right time comes. And I believe when the right time comes, it’ll be an amazing experience.I fathom the idea of taking care of little beings who I call my own. I imagine building a sweet family with my partner. Oh! Such wonderful bliss. I’d make a very good parent, that’s for sure. One of the reasons why I’m certain that I would make a very good parent/father is because I grew in a proper family. I can beat my chest anywhere and say I grew up in the right family. Although it wasn't perfect, my parents made sure to bring me up the right way.

I am still a young adult, however, with my experience in life, the books and news I’ve read. I've also talked to married couples of different age groups, and they've shared their experiences with me. I understand that building a healthy family isn’t an easy feat. Building a healthy family requires a whole lot of effort, understanding and patience, and if you’re not careful, you’ll end up taking the wrong steps. One of the sweetest rewards of marriage is having kids; cute tiny beings that resemble you and your partner. Raising a child isn’t an easy feat. It requires constant care and attention, from the moment they're born until they're ready to live on their own.

If your child were to grow up and decide to switch to a different way of life from the one your brought them up with, what would be your reaction? This is very good question. First off, no good parent would want to see their kids drift off s bad pattern. Sadly, even after numerous teachings, some kids are so bent on going astray. It is every parent’s nightmare to see their kid’s go astray.

If my child were to grow up and decide to switch to a different way of life, why would I do about it? I’ve thought so hard about this and I have concluded that it depends on what the child decides to do. For example, if I want him to study a particular course, and he refuses because his interest is in another course, I’d definitely be supportive. I’d definitely put my child’s happiness and interest above everything. However, if it's a more complicated aspect like religion, I can see how it would be a difficult decision to make. I think in that situation, I would still do everything I can to guide my child and help them find the right path. Honestly, I’m not sure what decision I’d make.

Note: Images used in this post are mine, otherwise stated.

Thanks for reading.