By Mary Elizabeth Piretti
With some major changes including a major move and a new baby
about to hit our family, this will be my last newsletter for the foreseeable
future. When pondering what to write about as my farewell, it hit me that I’ve
been imparting learned wisdom to other parents while at the same time learning
what it really means to be a parent. I have an almost 2-year-old boy who is
wonderful in so many unexplainable ways, including the fact that he has shaken
and rebuilt (and will continue to do so I’m sure!) everything I thought I knew
about parenting. I’ve learned a lot in the past 22 months, and I’m sure I’ll
continue to learn every day for the rest of my parenting life.
I came into parenting with a plan. A plan that included a happily
sleeping baby, who when he wasn’t sleeping, would play happily on his own and
let me go about my business, with plenty of breaks to snuggle him of course!
What I got was a non-sleeping baby who was generally happy and content, but who
demanded snuggles way more than I was prepared to stop and give them. He taught
me to slow down. I had to set aside my agenda and love him when he needed it,
and I found that if I gave him what he needed when he needed it, he was then
content to let us all go about our day. Through some growing up and a little
training, he now plays by himself happily for long periods of time and sleeps
like a champ. He also knows that he’s secure in our family and loved
unconditionally--I wouldn’t trade that for the world.
He has also taught me that not all formulas bring about the
desired outcome. At this point, he knows that we are in charge as his parents.
But he also knows that he is his own person and he will fight to make sure I
know that, too. Being a toddler, he is unpredictable and emotional. He goes
from being smiley and happy to laying on the floor screaming in about two
seconds, and all I can do is be consistent in how I react to his demands. I’m
confident that the consistency will pay off, but it’s a constant battle some
days. My plan coming into parenting was that one good strong lesson would do
the trick, and my little guy has taught me otherwise. It’s a marathon, Mom.
As we grow and learn together and as our family changes shape, I
know the principles of Love and Leadership will be ones to which I’ll stick. I
know that if I put my all into it, then I’ve done the best I can to raise my
children to be accomplished adults and responsible citizens. But I’ve learned
that sometimes even the best-laid plans can fail, and that I’m not always in
control. And I’ve learned to be okay with that and to love my child through it
according to his needs at that moment. If you take anything from me, take that
you can and are a great parent, and that if you Love and Lead your kids as they
grow, you will be doing your part to raise them up into successful adulthood,
and hopefully one day they and the world will thank you for it.
