Quality Parenting

Look at the picture above.  Here are two young girls watering plants consisting of cucumbers, herbs, and flowers. These girls assisted their mother, standing in the background, in setting timbers on edge, hauling topsoil, setting out young plants, and sowing seeds.  This garden is centered in the yard beside their home.  A thin nylon webbed fence surrounds the plots to prevent wildlife from eating the growing plants.

Their father and grandmother are seated as they admire the results in the girls' and mother's garden.  I took this picture recently when my wife and I visited our son and his family in Chapel Hill. 

I was struck by the marvelous idea of these parents teaching these young girls about growing plants.   The parents led and engaged their children in the garden plots which allowed them to watch blossoms appear, see cucumbers grow large, and smell the scents of herbs and flowers.

This gardening activity by these children is in addition to their public schooling, private music lessons, competitive running and swimming, reading of books, computer work, board and card games, camping, biking, hiking, summer camps, vacations, travel, museum visits, household chores, and many more activities that are teachable moments.

Parenting is a big deal.  When it's done right, children grow up to become quality parents themselves.  See the picture below where the garden work started.

All of us should monitor and review our parenting skills and strive to improve as we balance activities against our family values and personal goals. Goals should be set high for children to prepare them well for adult living.

Have a good week!