PARENTING August 18, 2008 Issue

MY THANK YOU

DAWN-MARIE CORNETT

PARENTING is the hardest—and best—job I've ever had. It requires a patience and grace I continually work to achieve. My husband and I have three children, truly the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to us. Each one has a uniqueness and vitality that both amaze and challenge me.

Yes, there are days that bring tears of gratitude and joy, and other days that just bring tears. There are moments I'm really proud of who I am as a parent, and moments I'm not. Yet no matter what kind of day or moment I may be having, I know that the real Parent—the One truly in charge—is God, the Father and Mother of everyone. This knowledge helps me calm down when I feel concern, and emboldens me when I feel unsure what to do. Most of all, seeing God as the Father-Mother of our whole family humbles me. Looking at our children, I see more clearly that their character, beauty, creativity, and goodness come from our Father-Mother.

When our first child was born, my husband and I read lots of books. Some advocated what's called "attachment parenting"—developing an emotional bond with children when they're young, to ensure they'll have balanced relationships as adults, while others opposed it; some promoted spanking, and some discouraged it. There were books on green parenting, old-school parenting, and new-age parenting. By the time we'd tried several methods, we didn't understand any better how to be good parents. There were simply too many opinions.

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