Parenting

     Being a young single adult, I feel like there is not much I can possibly say about parenting because I have no children of myself. But, what if I told you you didn't have to have children to start becoming a great parent?
   
     This week we were able to discuss a bit about parenting, which I found very interesting because it was basically the same things I am currently learning in my parenting class. It has just been great to be able to learn how exactly to raise children. Did you know that parenting doesn't only influence children, but parents as well? Parents are able to develop divine attributes, understand children, and better understand God. As for children, they are able to have their needs be met, they are given a support system, have attachment needs met, and have intergenerational connections. 

     We talked in class about the main things a parent should focus on and those are:

- Protect
- Provide
- Survive
- Thrive

     The role as a parent is to protect your child and provide for them so that they can not only survive, but thrive as well. I feel like there are so many different parenting style, and I think that part of that might have to do a bit with culture. I could be wrong but growing up I noticed that a lot of my friends were expected to move out from their homes and figure out life on their own. Some of them were even kicked out. I know that having your child move out might be beneficial for them because they develop some independence which is good. In my family, children typically don't move out until they get married, or in mine and my sister's case, until we go to college. So, i'm assuming that there are other aspects of parenting that are also very different between cultures. For example, discipline. Because I have been taking a parenting class, I know that there are different ways to discipline, But can you discipline with love?

     The answer is YES! Most definitely. I'm really grateful to be taking the parenting class I'm taking this semester because it has shown me that to be a successful parent, we need to change our mindset. Sometimes as a parent it might be easy to think that your child is just throwing a tantrum, but in reality, they may have needs that aren't being met. It's easy to get upset at them for their behavior, but sometimes we just have to stop and really listen to what they need.

     Again, I am not a parent so I don't have any experience but I have learned a lot from a few books I've read in my parenting class. If you would like to learn more about how to become an effective parent read them! They are Anatomy of Peace, Unconditional Parenting, and Mindset.
     

The Importance of Fatherhood

     As women currently fight to be seen as equals to men, I think that fatherhood is slowly but surely being forgotten. I personally don't think that what they are fighting for is bad, but I do think that it is causing the world to see fatherhood as less important. As we discussed the importance of fatherhood this week, I thought about my own father and my relationship with him. We don't have the best relationship in the world, but I know that it is great compared to anyone who grew up without a dad around. I feel that with all that has been going on in the world recently, fathers will simply become optional. 

     As more independent women realize that they can do anything on their own, they will eventually realize that they can also raise children on their own. They will soon think that fathers are optional. For example, while pregnant, women are the ones who carry the baby so they could assume that the father isn't really necessary. Also, they have the option now to get pregnant without even needing a father for the baby, they simply get a sperm donor. If a single mother struggles financially they can always receive support from the government. Mothers may think they don't need to have a husband to support them, they can work and send their children to daycare. There are many other reasons as to why fatherhood could be eliminated entirely, but there are also reasons as to why it is extremely important. 

     We have discussed the importance of fatherhood a few times in the past and have come to realize that fathers are actually really important for a child's development, especially for a daughter. Studies have found that when a girl grows up having a father around she is more likely to grow up to be a confident, secure woman. Having a father helps children regulate their emotions, and they are really good boundary setters. As well as being an example to their sons on how a man should act, and to their daughter, an example of how a man should treat a woman. 

     It was also discussed whether the father should be responsible for earning the income for the family. To be able to answer that, I think it is really important to refer to The Family: A Proclamation To The World where it says that fathers are to provide for the necessities of life while mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. So personally, I would say that yes, fathers are primarily responsible for providing for their family, BUT it also states in the proclamation that disability, death, or other circumstances may need adaptation. To me this means that maybe the mother may need to be the one responsible for providing the income, it all depends on everyone's personal circumstance. 

     So, even though the world slowly diminishes fatherhood, I think that we should be advocating it because it is really important for children to grow up with a father. I know that if I had not grown up with my father I would definitely not grown up to be the person I am today.