Hot Momma’s Advice: You are enough. Your child is enough. You both are worthy of love and learning!
It’s a Tuesday morning and just as your children are packing their backpacks for school, I’m packing up my bags as well. It’s time to leave Guyana, a place that became my home. A place where I was able to speak with you about the importance of getting involved in your children’s lives and education. A place that I already miss for its unexpected events, kind people, fresh fruits and beautiful children.
Before I go, I want to leave you with one more thought that hopefully helps you reflect on your parenting and relationship with your child. I want to leave you with the thought that was given to me by a researcher, Brene Browne. This thought centres around an idea of having a life worth living, of being worthy of love and happiness and connection.
Browne states that the only difference between a person who has a strong sense of love and belonging and a person who does not, is that the person who feels love and connection believes that s/he is worthy of love and connection. It sounds simple, yet as a parent its one of the most important things you can do and give to your children; the belief that they are enough and they are worthy.
If we allow our children to experience belonging, whether it is by giving them responsibilities in the house, or asking their opinions on things that are happening in the community and really listening to them. If we give and encourage the thought of their worthiness by telling them we love them, even if they have behaved badly and encourage them to make better decisions and believe in them to do so, then we have succeeded.
As parents however, it’s important to first allow yourselves to feel that as well. As a parent it is expected that mistakes are made, and there isn’t always a perfect answer to problems and punishment. However, our children deserve happiness and success and we can provide them with the support to believe that they deserve that too if we allow ourselves to make mistakes and learn from them and continue on. We must allow ourselves to believe that we are enough for our children that we do shape and help them understand the world around them; that we care for them and want what’s best for them.
Walking with your child through all of life’s ups and downs is a great way to show this.
Helping your child believe in the fact s/he is worthy of love in life and capable of anything gives her/him a power that no one can take away.
Help your child believe s/he is worthy. Let yourself believe in your worth as well. You are enough. Your child is enough. Thank you for the opportunity of showing me that here in Guyana.
To listen to the speech Brene Browne gave please visit: http://www.ted.com/talks/ brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html
Please send specific or general questions about your child’s education or way to teach them to: classroomguyana@gmail.com
