by Taryn McColpin
Ahh, June…The birds and the bees are doing their thing, and the human Big Birds (Dads) and Busy Bees (Moms) are celebrated by their offspring during these fruitful, and woefully pollen-laden, Spring months.
If there were ever a topic fraught with emotion and angst, it is Parenthood. The question is, why more words on a subject that has been covered in every possible way? Because the people who do the hardest, most important job in the world get so little tangible reward, or even acknowledgment, that a few words of recognition to make them happy is not too much to ask. You know what they say, if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!
And what makes a parent happy? The unexpected hug, the eavesdropped compliment, the rare and magical words “You know, you were right.” Because we all try so hard to get it right, and with no education or license required, parenthood is a lesson in the Law of Trial and Error. No matter how many books you read or advice you are given, each child is unique, and what works for some is disaster for others. So men and women take on the most difficult, frustrating, and wonderful career of all flying by the seat of their pants.
Here are thoughts from some parents:
• First, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing but at least I’m trying. Anyone who tells you they have all the answers is either A) a non-parent, B) a male parent, or C) my mother-in-law.
• No outfit is complete without a little drool.
• I don’t have nearly as many answers as I did pre-kid.
• You may sound a bit like your mother but it doesn’t mean you have to act
like her.
• I have a hell of a lot more patience and a better gag reflex than I realized.
• NEVER put a kid in Superhero jammies in the top bunk.
• Being a parent is gold-plated….being a grandmother is platinum.
• If you’re potty-training, letting your two-year-old merrily consume a half
a pint of blueberries is not wise.
• Surviving the teenage years with girls should qualify you for a
Nobel Peace Prize.
A real eye-opener is to find yourself at the age your parents were during a part of your lifetime you can remember well. Say you are 35, your parents are 55…think back to when you were 15 and your parents were the age you are now. What a concept! They were actual people, just as you are, with worries and dreams and bad habits – and they were attempting the ultimate sociological experiment: trying to raise a child well, while living their lives and surviving in this world.
On that thought, take these rare two holidays to honor and value your parents for who and what they are. And if you have step-parents, honor them twice, because they deserve a special award for voluntarily taking on the traditional bad-guy role and trying to be a hero anyway. We all have parents; present or absent, biological or adoptive, good or bad…even if they embarrassed you, irritated you, or failed you, your parents did the best they were capable of doing at the time and under the circumstances. What more can we ask of anyone? And if your parents are no longer with you, through their choice or yours or fate’s, at least send a thankful thought out to the universe for those without whom you would not be here.
P.S. Don’t forget that May is Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month.
Every rider is someone’s child.
