Cheers to being a parent! And hats off — if a good one.
Throughout the years, Memphis Parent has presented an abundant gift of resources valuable in helping families thrive. But there’s one thing you don’t need us to tell you…and that is, parenting is hard work. Not “can be,” “may be,” or “sometimes be,” but will “always be” one of the greatest challenges a human can enlist themselves in.
I don’t know about you, but my parenting handbook still hasn’t shown up at my doorstep — and I’m 24 years in. Two children: one son (post-graduate) and daughter (college-bound 12th-grader), who turned out pretty great (in my subjective opinion). If I did nothing else with much enthusiasm, I fed a whole lot of good into their lives in hopes of them deploying some back into the world.
Sure, the parent benefits package doesn’t always boast a ton of perks, but if your return-on-investment includes being a proud and respectable parent, most of us will tack that gold star to our foreheads with pride any given day. Training up a child is like coaching a team to make the finals — you win some, you lose some, but you keep playing to achieve a victory. You continue to feed them the core principles, values, and hearty sustenance required to condition their mindsets towards winning. Celebrating each milestone along the way with championship aroma hovering at every landmark.
Not for nothing, most parents really do sacrifice their entirety to ensure their children succeed in having a good life, which can be defined variously based on who and when you ask. At the end of the day, the world is always hungry for kindness, grace, and even a little mercy from time-to-time. Are we feeding it properly?
The finish line? Well, you may never get to see it crossed, but it will forever beat in children’s hearts as a reminder of the work you put in for them to pour out. So feed them, and feed them well. In turn, the world will digest something good. You don’t really need a manual for that.
One thing’s for sure, Memphis Parent will keep feeding parents (and the world) impactful assets to help them absorb something good, such as the resources we’ve curated in this winter issue. As we close out another calendar year together, my hope is that you consume joy this holiday season, and take delight in the winter months ahead. Dine good, y’all.
Later, my friends!
Erika Cain
Editor