The art of parenting is often referred to as one of the most difficult but fulfilling jobs in the world. It has no written constitution as to how the rules should work, or a magical formula that perfects the system because every child differs from the other.
However, for the parent, there are certain developments that must happen in their lives while taking up the responsibility to parent a child. We do know parents are the first role models, teachers, and guardians to their wards, which is why most parents consciously or unconsciously subscribe to self-development to help their child learn best.
Parenting is a full time job that lasts for a long time, and the rewards are everlasting. Although parenting can be exhausting, it never leaves the individual underdeveloped depending on the level of sacrifices that was dedicated to the course. From the very stance of conception, to the point you realize that there is a fetus growing in you, learning becomes the order of happenings around you. You learn about the diet that works better for you and for the growth of the baby, the same goes to most aspects of your life. Even after delivery, the job is not yet completed but rather you move to a higher level that expects much more from you.
Parenting takes so much from you, because as a mother, you are a maker and a creator, molding your personality in another being. And in the course of that, many things happen consciously and unconsciously. This article will be narrowing down seven crucial changes that take place in a parent’s life during the period of parenting that tends to last for a life time.
- Responsibility:
You were probably a responsible adult before you became a parent, being in a relationship, building a career or etc. are all forms of responsibility; being responsible entails striving to make the best decision at all times. However, if other aspects of life had a minor change on your personality, there are thousands of reasons why parenting should have a drastic change on your personality. You are now totally responsible for the wellbeing of your child, and every decision you make including the decision of the next meal to prepare is as important as living.
This responsibility may affect all areas of your life including your wardrobe. You suddenly realize that you are becoming accountable and judgmental about things and life because you have the best interest of your child to protect. Your decision as a parent is not for your benefits but for the benefits of your child which may not reflect at the present time but in future.
- You become more careful:
Like I said earlier, you have the interest of your child to protect. Becoming careful emanates from being protective. No parent with the interest of their child at heart is carefree about anything in life.
Some parents go as far as amending their future plans in order to protect their children from unforeseen mishaps that may arise.
Being careful cuts across all areas of life, from academics to social life and even cultural ethics, parents in the modern age have learnt to filter some cultural and traditional perceptions that can mar a child’s mentality about life.
- You become studious:
This may not happen to every parent, but we all agree that parents are the best teachers to their children. Therefore, out of curiosity many parents go out of their way to make findings about something or anything before introducing it to their children.
However, other act of being studious happens unconsciously, such as being in a grocery store and your child points his/her attention towards an article that you are unfamiliar with. In such situations, the parent out of curiosity picks up such items to find out details about it. Even if they are unlearned parents, they would go as far as asking anyone around to know what the item is all about.
This scenario does not happen only at the grocery store but anywhere and about anything, all in the bid to protect your child’s interest.
- You become creative:
Obviously, everything about life has to do with creativity, which is applying knowledge to making life better. Everything that has been manufactured was produced to make life easier and better for man. In order words, to make life easier and better for your wards you have to develop skills and start applying knowledge to the daily activities of life so that your children will not find life difficult.
Parenting makes you think ahead of time, right from conception, you begin to put thoughts and imagination about what your child’s room should look like, and it doesn’t end there, it transcends to all aspect of their lives. The bottom line is that parenting conditions your mind to creativity, your income level, you drop your bad habits (or try to cub them) etc.
- You become selfless:
Having established the fact that parenting makes you responsible, which is being responsible for another. You no longer think of yourself and for yourself alone. Most parents are so consumed with thoughts about their children that they forget to recognize their needs. They find joy in seeing their children complete, comfortable and happy.
Parenting makes you go the extra mile; it kills every attitude and habit of selfishness.
- You go the extra mile.
Going the extra mile for your children is hard work, because your aim is to achieve something or anything for the benefits of your children. Your hard work could be for their comforts, pleasure, joy, social life and excellence, to mention a few.
Jane D Hull the Famous American politician and educator did state that at the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of parents.
- You become disciplined
Yes, every responsible parent is disciplined because they are aware that their children are watching. No parent is perfect but every parent strives to be perfect for their children.
Most parents have learnt to set high standards for their selves, in order to become a perfect role model to their children. Parents have gone as far as dropping a lot of habits as well as pleasures for their children sake.
This doesn’t mean that they are emotionless, but life has to do with sowing and reaping.
In conclusion, though parenting has often been rated as the difficult job on earth, every parents does agree with the famous 90’s super model Gena Lee Nolin who says “My children are the reasons I laugh, smile and want to get up in the morning”….
Indeed, it is the most rewarding job on earth.
By Miracle Nwankwo
