Parenting

  I feel like I haven't posted anything in forever. I just have so much work....The only time I actually get a chance to write is while I'm in class. Ironic, wouldn't you say?
  On to today's topic: parenting. Some may think that I am a little young to be writing about such a topic, but I feel as if I am knowledgable enough to speak quite informatively on this subject.
  To be quite frank, most people aren't cut out to be parents. Yet all (most) people have the ability to reproduce. I'm not saying that people who don't fit a certain paternity measurement shouldn't have the ability to create other human beings. It's just that most people don't really understand the amount of sacrifices that it takes to be a good parent (notice: there's a difference between a parent and a good parent; everyone has a parent, but does everyone have the latter?).
  It's so easy to create other human beings, the difficulty of raising a child is often underestimated (hence the reason why when teens get pregnant, they don't see it as a big deal, because they think caring for babies is EASY....Ha! But that's for another day). It's more than just the birthing process. It even goes farther than the simplicity of feeding, clothing and sheltering them. I mean, think about it; babies are human beings that you have to raise to be prosperous human beings who contribute positively to the society (or, at least, that's what I would hope all parents strive for). That means developing their morals, keeping them educated, potentially imposing religious viewpoints onto them, and keeping their personalities holistic and well-rounded. Of course, you also have to deal with things that the children pick up outside of the household, which can often times change them for the worse. This makes things a lot more difficult and a lot more complicated. Parenting is probably the only full-time occupation that envokes every emotion possible by the human brain, and the only one that no matter how many times you've done it, it's just as difficult as the first time around. (So doesn't that make being a housewife a job....?)
  One of my favorite educators once said that there should be a required test to take before one can become a parent. And he's right on the money with his idea, because not all people are cut out for the job. A lot of people aren't willing to sacrifice everything and anything for another human being. This doesn't necessarily mean that you're selfish, but it sure as hell means that you shouldn't have kids.
  But then there are those out there that would take a bullet for their child. Ohkay. Good for you. You get a sticker for putting others before yourself. What I'm eluding is that people think that simply because they love their child with all the world, they are cut out to be a parent. Don't get me wrong; love is an essential part in being a parent. But it goes back to the idea of being a good parent. Love isn't going to discipline your child, and sometimes it  can actually hurt a child, which is the reverse intention of any caring parent.
  So what does it take to be a "good" parent? Well, of course, I don't have the ultimate recipe for being a good parent. (Not only because I've never actually been a parent myself, but mostly due to the fact that there is no manual that comes out of the womb with the baby.) I am just regurgitating what I've heard from well-experienced mothers, and also what I've seen done wrong by parents.
  First of all, of course, it takes love. And it has to be a special kind of love, one that isn't often encountered in life: unconditional love. This means that no matter what circumstances, you will always love your child, and give everything and anything, even your life, for them. (I'll be flexible on the circumstances, though; if your son's on death row for the murder of 12 people, I think that is a probable situation to potentially stop loving them.) Another key factor is being able to discipline properly. I'm not decreeing that all good parents beat their children (although I will say that this method was used on me, and I believe that I turned out quite above-exceptional). But being able to say, "What you did was wrong" and enforce some kind of punishment for it is key. This teaches children a concept of right and wrong, and will follow them through life and help them make good decisions in all aspects of life.
  Good parents should also be sensible to some level. I believe that a good parent-child relationship can be easily defined by whether a child is not afraid to approach their parent with any subject and talk to them about it. You want your child to be able to talk to you about everything, so that you can know what's going on with them at all times, and potentiality save them from making bad decisions.
  I believe that these three concepts are the most general ideas needed in parenting, and that a good balance of all three can make someone a good parent. Remember, a GOOD balance; too much of one or the other could pose to be very grave. (For instance, too much discipline could make them resent you and lead to rebellion, too much love could push them away from you, and too much sensibility could cause them to take advantage of you.) My mother and grandmother were both phenomenal women who did mix these three aspects fairly well and ended up being great mothers.
  Once again, don't view this post as the Vedas of parenting. I'm sure that I'm forgetting a lot of other important aspects needed to be a good parent. Also, remember that I have yet to experience parenthood, so I could be really off with my analysis. I just thought that I'd share my views about parenting. Lastly, I want to emphasize that although used throughout this, I am trying to use the term "good parent" rather loosely. This is because I am not trying to define strict guidelines of what makes a "good parent", mostly because there is no one method of "good parenting". What I am trying to get across here, though, is that there is a such thing as bad parenting, and that by incorporating some of the things that I've previously mentioned in  this post, maybe one could at least going down that parenting path.
Please leave your thoughts.