I recently read an article in Canadian Today's Parent (see todaysparent.com for July 2008 issue), How to raise a great kid what every child needs by John Hoffman. It did not present a formula for raising a great kid. Rather, it inspired me to reconsider the way I think about raising the great kids I already have. Specifically, Hoffman suggested that we think of our children as two entities - one a work-in-progress (with lots to learn), the other the child s/he is supposed to be right now now and thereby worthy of our honour and respect. I really like this because it frees us up from being so concerned and consumed with the future person we are trying to create and acknowledges that our children are people with their own thoughts, feelings, problems, ideas, passions, strengths and weaknesses ALREADY. With a 5 year old about to start kindergarten and a 2.5 year old on the brink of toilet training and pre-school I am turning a new proverbial leaf; that is, focusing more on the amazing little creatures that they each are right now, and letting the work-in-progress parts (from tears instead of words to running around stores like they were at the park!) work themselves out.
Raising kids is a process - indeed!
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