I was watching “One Born Every Minute” earlier today, and one of the mother’s, awaiting the birth of her first baby, made the comment, “She’s going to have the best life ever.”
Don’t lie to your children. It’s not fair to set them up for unrealistic expectations.
You can’t promise your child the best life ever. Everyone faces loss, sadness, disappointment. We face obstacles that we have to overcome; rejection we have to rise above; road blocks that cause us to have to come up with Plan B. Instead of promising your child “the best life ever”, promise things you can deliver.
I promise my children that I will love them, unconditionally, no matter what. They may do things that I don’t like very much at times, but I will always, without fail, love them.
I promise my girls that they can tell me anything, even if they know I’m not going to like it. Will I smile and keep my mouth shut? No. I will, in every likelihood, express my dislike. But this will teach them that they won’t find 100% approval anywhere in this world – not even at home.
My kids will always know that when they hurt, I hurt. When they suffer, I suffer. But we will get through whatever we have to get through together. There is nothing so awful that we can’t find smiling and happy again. It just may take a while to get there.
The girls will know there is value in a good old ugly cry now and again. It may not feel like it at the time, but sadness is better shared with the people that love you on the outside than eating you up from the inside.
I will be there for lost teeth and lost loves. I’ll be with them through broken bones and broken hearts. New jobs, new boyfriends, new husbands, new babies? I’m so there.
No. My kids won’t have “the best life ever”. Life is hard. It’s got to be hard so they’ll appreciate the days that are slow, sweet, and easy. But they will have a life where they are surrounded by love, support, and family. Always.