A Short Story for Far Sighted Parents

Special offer to parents: ‘Ultra Parenting Glasses’. These highly desirable glasses have lenses lovingly crafted from very pure crystal enabling you to see ‘the interesting moments’ of parenting from a new and clearer perspective. These special glasses are free to all parents of young children and they can be fitted and functional by the time you reach the end of this page. 

As a parent, there will be times when you are very challenged by your children - they won’t listen, they won’t do what you ask, they fight when you have asked them not to, they won’t stay in bed when you put them there, they melt down when you are out and other people are looking at you.... That is the nature of parenting. And you have two ways of viewing your child in situations like this: you can view your child as a problem - that’s what most people do - or you can fit specially ground pure crystal lenses and view this child as your teacher. The child who challenges you can teach you more than any other teacher you have ever had or will ever have, and without a student loan. So how does a ‘problem’ suddenly turn into a teacher? Your perspective.

The child who drives you to despair: this child is the one who takes you to the very edge of your knowing, every day. He shows you when you have used up all the skills that got you to this point. She prods you into getting the upgrade, installing the next module of communication and partnership skills. Children are Life’s way of educating parents in the things that really matter, things like getting along with each other harmoniously, things like living together and staying friends. Children ‘grow us up’.

Fit your new lenses and stand beside your child’s bed when he or she is asleep - all children look like angels when they are asleep. And there, silently from your heart, acknowledge your child not as a problem, but as your greatest teacher. In a way, nothing changes. But in a way, everything changes. The next time your child’s behaviour challenges you, instead of viewing the child as the problem, you just notice: “Here we go. Here’s my next lot of learning, courtesy of my greatest teacher” .