The Weight of the World

Last night I heard one of the most profound things I've heard since I became a mom almost five years ago. It was the last evening of my 10-week parenting class and it was my instructor, Chris Glover, who spoke the words that have changed the way I see my role and job as a parent; "When you are raising your children you are also raising your grandchildren and great grandchildren." Take that in for a minute. Let the weight of that fall on your shoulders. 


The gravity and the truth of that statement hit me hard and almost took my breath away. Because it is true, isn't it? There is no manual on how to raise children, the only training we get is from our parents so we tend to raise our children the way our parents raised us. That's how traditions and customs are passed down from generation to generation. That's also how parenting... mistakes are passed on. 

We love our children with all our might; kiss them, hug them, sing and read to them, tell them how proud of them we are. We teach them the values our parents taught us, teach them the importance of education, hard work. Just like our parents did with us. We also lose our patience, forget they're just children, scream, and sometimes spank. Just like our parents did. And if we fail to correct those mistakes, those things will be passed down to future generations just like a dance, a story, a celebration. 

Now I realize that I am not just raising my children. I am raising their children as well. What I do now when my daughter cries for no reason, when my son disobeys me time and again, how I respond to their needs and demands, will have repercussions on generations to come. That's a heavy load to bear, I know, but having seen the truth I can't pretend to be blind to it. The weight of the future and the world is on our shoulders, each of us as parents. 

My husband Carlos, a loving daddy and husband.