<p>Posted my very first post (same title) yesterday; After much thought (24 hours) I want to re-phrase the post. Looking at this from a positive angle… so here it is </p>
<p>Please complete the sentence…
As parents we are proud that we did the following with our kid(s)-</p>
<ol>
<li>Took my son for hockey practices at 5am on Sat. mornings</li>
<li>Never missed a hockey game ( almost 8 years)</li>
<li>etc… etc…</li>
</ol>
<p>Over to you… proud parents!!!</p>
<p>I would just caution that having them reach 21 and being self-supporting does not really constitute any sort of parenting end zone. Life is full of rought patches to be navigated, difficult decisions, crises, etc. </p>
<p>They’re not done with you yet.</p>
<p>:) how true… like u say, there’s no end to “parenting” :)</p>
<p>They’re definitely not done with you yet.</p>
<p>My son is 25 and my daughter is 21, and I occasionally find myself still in a parent role – especially when there are transitions in their lives. It comes in bursts, and the bursts get less frequent as time goes on, but it doesn’t end. </p>
<p>One interesting thing, though, is that sometimes they’re the ones advising or even nagging me. I changed several passwords recently in response to nagging from my son about my insecure passwords, and my daughter recently gave me some much-needed hints on better ways to use eye makeup. We all have different experiences and areas of expertise, and we can learn from one another.</p>
<p>In answer to your question, I’m proud that we (well, mostly me – my husband and I often do things differently):</p>
<ol>
<li>Taught them that school is to be taken seriously.</li>
<li>Instilled the idea of basic safety precautions (such as the use of seat belts and bike helmets) so deeply that they consider people who don’t do these things to be freaks.</li>
<li>Passed on a love of music to them to the extent that both played instruments for years without ever being forced to do so.</li>
</ol>
<p>though we love music… non of the kids took to playing any instrument. :(; Of course we the parents never did either. I guess lead by example is the key</p>
<p>It is not often that I post what I have done right with my kids, more often than not it´s just dumb luck.</p>
<p>Since our kids were little (6 months old), we have always taken them travelling with us, out to dinner, and to many adult events. In doing so, I think our girls are probably more worldly and comfortable with adults. They are well spoken, and could navigate around many difficult situations. I think because they have experienced many different cultures since they were little, they are more tolerant differences in people, and do not take all the niceties we have in the US for granted. </p>
<p>We always took them out to dinners with us, even when they were just toddlers they were required to sit through adult dinners. We spent a lot of time with them about what´s appropriate to do (or not) when they were with adults. At age 22, D1 is very comfortable at ordering food and wine at most places. She could carry on a fairly intelligent discussion about different wines, food from various places, and art/history even though she is a math/econ grad.</p>
<p>Last year when D1 was interviewing for jobs, she was very much at ease, and I think that´s why she got those offers. At her internship last summer, she encountered many difficult situations, but she was able to figure it out by herself. At the end of internship, the write-up of her performance was - demonstrated greater maturity than most of her peers, well spoken and organized.</p>
<p>Wow! that’s a biggie … Congrats to you both…</p>
<p>In no particular order:</p>
<p>I’m proud of having given my home schooled daughter an exceptional education, which also gave her the flexibility to pursue her passion (ice dance) all the way to the
World Championships. (Of course, she’s the one who did the actual work.) </p>
<p>I’m proud of having begun reading aloud to her (and my husband) at bedtime from the time that she turned six months. After nearly twenty years of bedtime reading together (something we still do), the range of literature we have shared as a family is astounding–and I’m sure has been a boon the development of her intellect.</p>
<p>I’m proud of having given her a deeply considered (as opposed to reflex) religious foundation, which has informed, and continues to inform, her moral choices. </p>
<p>I’m proud of having fostered the bonds between her and each of her four grandparents. She has given so much to and received so much from each of them. She would not be the young woman she is today without them.</p>
<p>Now off to the other thread to make a list of what I could have done better!</p>
<p>Oh dear, I fear I shouldn’t have posted in this thread, as my daughter is just turning twenty. And yet, I feel that the bulk if my work is done. Training as an elite level athlete is equivalent to a full time job, and she is working with her college to defer matriculation until she is ready to retire–which could be anywhere from one to three years. Sorry for butting in!</p>