It’s hard and starts with very little training, but it is the most rewarding job in the world. Rookies quickly learn that classes and manuals don’t scratch the surface.
Good advice is always available but the sources don’t always agree. This is probably for the best because raising children is no more science than art. New parents, much to their relief, figure out most of it by themselves.
Children are miracles, and the ability to raise them from scratch is a life-altering accomplishment that deserves recognition. Our calendars mark the fourth Sunday in July as Parents’ Day, but every day spent with family is a celebration.
Compared to Father’s Day or Mother’s Day, this American holiday is a youngster. It doesn’t replace its older siblings, instead, it recognizes the combined efforts of both parents and their commitment to raising a family.
Parents’ Day was born from a coalition of religious organizations, civic leaders and elected officials. Through their efforts, a special Congressional Resolution was passed in 1994 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
Its official language cited the need to recognize responsible parenting and to appreciate the important role parents play in modeling their children’s lives. Official language is dry, so let’s indulge in a little interpretation.
This day officially honors all parents and their innate abilities to raise children with love, dignity and a sense of humor. They love with the tenderness and fierceness that protects a newborn. They instill a sense of pride and worth in a growing child and they laugh along with the giggle on a little face caked in half-eaten mud pies.
Parents are rightfully honored to have one day that acknowledges the most rewarding job in the world. It deserves to be celebrated every single day, and in the hearts of their children, it is.