picture in my mind

The best thing a parent can do for the child is to be a good role model.


It applies to every aspect of life. In my therapy sessions too, I'm like a broken record when it comes to explaining how parents should model for the child appropriate language forms. More than linguistic abilities though, parents should be the kind of persons they want their children to be. This should be a duh concept, right -- but it's surprising how little we actually truly contemplate this and how much less it is actually implemented.

It's been a point of discussion with some friends of mine what an ideal mother is -- and while I do admire mothers who focus on their children, take time off work or quit entirely, or devote their lives to educating and homeschooling their children (and for a time period, I really thought this was the absolute best thing for kids, and maybe it really is) -- I realise that it may not be the only best answer. I've been thinking that strong, independent, doing-big-stuff-out-there women as mothers are truly equally awesome, if not more so -- because they're a model of strength, drive, ambition, service, and their values are then best passed on to their kids. I've seen and heard of some women doing things like this -- how they accomplish this feat is a different story entirely; superwoman, anyone? -- I think it's great. You want your sons and daughters to do great things for the world when they grow up? Then you do it first and show them how it's done. I think success and service run in the family.