Challenges of Parenthood
Any mother or father (biological or surrogate) knows that parenthood offers many unique challenges, and also many valuable life lessons. Being responsible to raise and shape another person presents endless opportunities to learn and grow, to fail and to succeed. Some of the most rewarding and challenging times of my life have occurred in this season of parenthood. There is so much to learn!
One major takeaway from the journey of parenthood has been the development of a spirit of openness in almost every way. In parenthood, we become increasingly comfortable with the physical. We do things we never thought we would have to, and push our bodies to the max for the sake of the little feet we chase around! On an emotional/mental level, we learn to recognize our limits. We respect the opinions of others and decide where (and if) they fit in our families. We also learn to adopt the humility and self-compassion that it takes to ask for help, and to cut ourselves some slack where it is due. Spiritually, we find ourselves asking and answering important questions, and we pursue a healthy community to ward off the isolation that can become so natural if we aren’t careful.
In parenthood, we also grow in our ability to meet others where they are at. While temper tantrums and big tears trigger something in us that can be difficult to manage at times, it also offers ample opportunity to reorient our perspectives and extend compassion. While to us, the “wrong color cup” or detestation of naptime seems ridiculous, to the little people we care for, the emotions that they feel are just as big and real as our adult ones. In these moments, we can adopt the position of compassionate teacher as we come alongside our children to help them work through and move past big, difficult emotions. We have had a lot more practice than them at exercising our coping skills!
Parenthood gives ample opportunity to grow in humility and selflessness. It requires that our intentional care and attention be directed at another person. We constantly put ourselves aside to meet the needs of our kids; parents don’t get off days! Being a parent highlights the need for personal self-care as well. The mantra “you can’t pour out of an empty cup” applies to parenthood as well! We learn to be humble enough to recognize when we need to care for ourselves, to ask for help, and to recharge. Sometimes we take it where we can get it–even if we just savor a 30 second bathroom break!
The opportunities for growth are innumerable. The smiles, the tears, the laughs, and the deep breaths that we experience take us through the full spectrum of human emotion. Challenging? Yes. Rewarding? Definitely. Parenthood is a perspective shaping, maturity nurturing journey that calls us to a higher standard of understanding, kindness, and compassion. It’s a constant life lesson, and one worth learning.
