Parenting Is Often About Sacrifice

Today’s post is a bit of a personal one for me, but it’s something I’d like to share with you all.  It’s one of those life lessons you (or at least I) always heard growing up…  One of those cliches that just never made sense.

That was until today…

A few weeks ago, our family was invited to spend a few days with another family, vacationing together if you will…  We would be getting away from the day-to-day routine and spending time with friends outside of family commitments.  We would be going away to do things that I thought would be fun…  Things I was really looking forward to.  Things we don’t have the opportunity to necessarily do every day.

The Writing Was On The Wall

Despite having been away for most of the month of August, with various family commitments, this was the first getaway that would truly be optional and inviting.  It would truly be my own – nothing I was “obligated” to do because of family commitments.

Long story short, we never did end up leaving this morning.  My daughter’s cold got progressively worse through the night, and our son woke up in the middle of the night with a fever.  Still determined to go, I got myself ready and refused to accept the truth…

I knew the right answer was not going away.  I knew the right answer was calling the trip off.  But I was clinging on with so much hope.  And honestly, I was a little angry.

And Then It Hit Me

The more I thought about this decision, the more I knew it was the right decision.  I knew that I needed to stay home and take care of my kids.  I knew that I had to sacrifice once again because their health and comfort was more important at this moment than my own desires.

And that’s what parenting is…  Parenting is all about sacrifice…  At some point, some day, it’s about sacrifice.

And the big lesson that hit me:  I was for the first time really angry at my children.  I was really (selfishly) upset by the fact that I had to give up my weekend because of their needs.

It only took a few moments to let this fleeting emotional response pass.  After all, I knew I had made the right decision.  I knew it was the right decision because it felt so awful.

Parenting is:

• What you make of it…
• An absolute joy…
• A total frustration
• The most wonderful gift
• And so much more…

Yet for a moment today, it felt horrible.  I just wanted a moment of my own.

Looking Back:

Earlier this week I was meeting with a mother of three young children.  And as we were talking about the sacrifices she made, she commented that what was standing in here way was resentment…   And it was in that moment I knew that I had to let my decision stand, and move on.

Never reach the level of resentment…  It’s a dark place, where you risk having a tough battle coming back from it.

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