A Parent

"People are all basically the same no matter where you're from, we all need food, we all need shelter and we all love our kids" Ewan McGregor.

Very true.

Although we have so much these days these basic things are still what makes us and our families function as a unit.

Being a full time parent now you tend to notice a lot of things that otherwise would probably 'sail through to the keeper'. Some nice things and kids being adored, and some not so nice things.

I get really annoyed and saddened when I see parents not treating their kids with the same respect as they themselves would want. So many times I look in horror to see parents talking down to their kids, swearing, yelling abuse, chain smoking around babies,  totally ignoring bad behaviour and making others around them feel very uncomfortable. Its a sad thing that the kids that are being brought up this way will unltimately have kids of their own, the same morals and behaviour then get passed on and on through generation to generation.

This is something that Jem and I pride ourselves on doing the complete opposite of. We respect our boys and put them first in most occasions. We talk to them, listen to them and nurture them. Not to say that if they are doing something that isnt ok we wont do anything about it. We try to stay on top of any bad behaviour, disciplining them but never demeaning them, even when we are pushed to the brink of screaming profanities to the sky!

We want to be the type of role models our kids look up to and want to emulate. Hard working, sacrificing for others, determined and loving people.

'Parent' is a big word to us and is something we never take lightly. Its a responsibility to guide your little people through the good and bad times and do the very best you can to bring them up safely, securely and lovingly while giving them the tools to problem solve and fit in.

Jem and I were very proud of our boys (and ourselves) the other day when a complete stranger came up to us while we were sitting down at a local coffee shop for breaky. He said it was lovely to see a family sitting down together talking and enjoying each others company. He complimented the boys on how well they were behaving, which gave them pride. Jem looked over to me and I new exactly what she was thinking without even saying a word, we are doing a good job with our beautiful boys.

I'm not saying we are the perfect parents by any means, we have our ups and downs, struggles and frustrations like everyone but we never stop considering and caring for our kids the best way we know how.

Being a parent - a gift, a privilege and a responsibility.