THE PARENTING MANIFESTO PROJECT
From Jenna Ravani Moritz:
We’re new parents, only 9 months on the “job,” so I can’t say much about parenting older children. I do know by now, though, that the most important part of being my daughter’s mother is being myself. She can have me, but I need to recognize me first. That means, largely, putting myself into her world, and seeing what develops when we are together. It also means acknowledging my ability to make good decisions for her, and watching the result without meddling. It means showing her what being a grown up IS, without denying her what being a child is. It means seeing myself in her, and hoping that I guide her the way I’d want to be guided.Also, being myself means acknowledging the remarkable parenting partner I have. My husband is a full and complete partner in our house, and he pushes me to be a better person, a better mother. My own mother once said to me, about the difference between the love one has for a spouse and for a child: “You love your children enough so they can leave. You love your spouse enough so he/she’ll stay.” I hope to be able to give that to my daughter too.
