-- Be a Friend and a Companion --
Most of us as parents have overlooked the importance of being a friend to our children especially during their adolescent years into their adulthood. At these stages, our children have grown to the maturity level where they would like for us to respect them for who they are and what they are about -- which is by treating them as individuals who have their own set of ideas and belief systems as well as their own way of life. To respect their individuality is to be a good friend to them. This is the only way our children are able to express their inner thoughts and feelings to us without being evaluated, lectured or blamed. Being a friend to our children is also being someone they can count on for help and someone they can come to for any emotional support and advice. We are acting as their mentors for them to come to for advice as well as their older friends and confidants for them to confide their personal stories and secrets.
As we grow older into our middle adulthood, we begin to see our parents grow old and become sick and begin to face the issue of dying. This is the time we have to be good companions to our parents, not because they are getting older and becoming sicker, but because this is the time they really need our companionship, especially when we have not been there for them throughout the years. To be a good companion to our parents is to be able to see them on a regular basis and perhaps have the opportunity to live close to them or to be in the same household, for those people who find it ideal. The closer we live physically to them the more they feel a sense of love and security from us. To be good companions to our parents is also to be able to do the simple things in life with them such as going grocery shopping, gardening, watching television or taking them for a walk at the park or to visit relatives.
As our parents reach to their 60s, 70s and beyond, they begin to feel an ever increasing need to be with their children and grandchildren, since this is considered to be the most rewarding and satisfying way for them to spend the rest of their lives. To be with their friends and other seniors in group activities and outings is also important, but to be able to spend time with their own family members is definitely far closer to their hearts and something they would always treasure very much -- since the family is always a family. A good conversation shared between us is considered important to our parents but the thoughtful and caring manner of nonverbal eye-contact, facial expressions, and body gestures that we display to them are far more important – by showing our parents that we really value them for being here with us. [4:5-(7)]
As we grow older into our middle adulthood, we begin to see our parents grow old and become sick and begin to face the issue of dying. This is the time we have to be good companions to our parents, not because they are getting older and becoming sicker, but because this is the time they really need our companionship, especially when we have not been there for them throughout the years. To be a good companion to our parents is to be able to see them on a regular basis and perhaps have the opportunity to live close to them or to be in the same household, for those people who find it ideal. The closer we live physically to them the more they feel a sense of love and security from us. To be good companions to our parents is also to be able to do the simple things in life with them such as going grocery shopping, gardening, watching television or taking them for a walk at the park or to visit relatives.
As our parents reach to their 60s, 70s and beyond, they begin to feel an ever increasing need to be with their children and grandchildren, since this is considered to be the most rewarding and satisfying way for them to spend the rest of their lives. To be with their friends and other seniors in group activities and outings is also important, but to be able to spend time with their own family members is definitely far closer to their hearts and something they would always treasure very much -- since the family is always a family. A good conversation shared between us is considered important to our parents but the thoughtful and caring manner of nonverbal eye-contact, facial expressions, and body gestures that we display to them are far more important – by showing our parents that we really value them for being here with us. [4:5-(7)]
Excerpt from: True Leaders Part II, Family Guide
Copy Right 2007, ISBN: 1-4208-6971-X(sc), Library of Congress Control Number: 2005906194
No part of the book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
Copy Right 2007, ISBN: 1-4208-6971-X(sc), Library of Congress Control Number: 2005906194
No part of the book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
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