Learning and understanding our child takes time

Children are the precious gift we are blessed with as parents and they teach us about life and responsibility. Raising a child is our biggest challenge and it is one that is a lifetime commitment that requires a great amount of devotion, patience and a whole lot of love and understanding. We all have our views in raising our child and we all want the absolute best for them. We will move heaven and earth to help our child find their way in the world and provide them a loving, nurturing home where they feel happy and comfortable. As parents we wish to offer our child the world but we have to be realistic in what we can and can not do.

When I am working and my son is at school I can't help but think about how he is doing and how I miss not seeing him. We all have our daily routine and may not get to spend the time together that we would like to so when we do have the time to spend together we take full advantage if it. As the years go by I can't help but wonder how the time from when our son was born to today has just gone by so quickly. It seems that childhood is such a joy and a special time in our lives but it is fleeting so when we have a child we try to allow them to be children for as long as possible because when they reach their adolescence it is a coming of age for them and for us as parents. It is a difficult reality to come to grips with and the sign that our child is growing up and we have to allow them their space and at the same time always be there for them to advise and teach them about life and maturity.  

To reach our child we need to truly listen to them and let them speak and express themselves. All children have a voice and they should be heard. The relationship between a parent and a child is a special one and it is a lot of give and take. Early on it is pretty structured as it is constant monitoring for their safety and making sure they are properly fed and changed. It is a time of great joy and learning. We are very in tune with our child as a baby and we feel that it is a very special time in our lives that is fleeting and before we know it is over just like that as our baby is now a toddler.

As parents we try to relate our childhood and growing up and our relationship with our parents to the present for a point of reference. I sometimes think to myself when I am in a situation where my son is having a meltdown and I am trying to calm him what my parents would do. I always try to maintain calmness and reassure my son to help ease him through and encourage him with words that are soothing to him and will help him.

As our child grows we try to keep up with their changing needs and adapt to their situation and guide them and be there for them as they see the world differently from the day before. Life has a way of changing as the years pass and it is our responsibility to meet the challenges that lie ahead so we can address our child's needs.

Once we finally figure out our children they are now young adults and their life has taken shape from our relationship with them, their experiences growing up, their friendships and their education. It is our wish that our child will pursue their education and strive to always do their best and to develop a healthy and happy personality that will help them deal with all of life's situations.

Raising our son is the best thing Maria and I have in our life and we wish to do all we can to assure him a happy and memorable childhood and equip him with confidence and a feeling that he can do anything he sets his mind to.

Edward D. Iannielli III