My Parents

So last weekend, being Father’s Day, I had planned to write something in honour of my Dad, I procrastinated (Shocker!) so instead today (rather than finishing report cards) I have decided to write something about both my parents.
In all truthfulness my parents are pretty great parents. As a child I never really thought about how much they gave up for my brother and I, I thought that was what all parents did! There were many years that my dad’s vacation time involved spending a week at the PNE chaperoning 15 or so 4-H members, their weekends were taken up driving Joel, my sheep and I to various fairs, or functions. My hobbies became their hobbies, I wonder now if they had any time for the things they enjoyed, did dad golf much? This must be why mom went back to school when I was older and why she started to play the violin after I left home!
My parents raised me to be independent (or maybe just let me be that way), caring, out-going, and to value family and friends. They pushed me to my best in everything I tackled. They raised me to be self-confident and self-sufficient. Yet they never pushed their goals on me. I always knew I could become anything I want to, I wasn’t letting them down if I became a teacher or a vet… or whatever.
As I write all this let it also be known that my parents and I also had those teenage/parent conflicts. I believe I was an interesting creature from age 12-15, my poor mother! Looking back I now recognize that my mom was trying to teach me responsibility, and how we should live up to our promises when she wanted me to train my dog. That clean room she wanted me to have is still a bit of a stretch, but I do get where she was coming from.
I often joke that my parents moved out of the house when I was 15 (there is truth to this). It wasn’t the easiest time for any of us (cancer does that), but what I discovered is that in these crazy years (1997/1998/1999) is that family is hugely important. Through these years there were many moments when friends would say things like” I hate my parents” (we were just teenagers) and I would wish and pray that two months from then I would still have both parents. It was around this time I began to realize how important my parents were in my life, and how wonderful of parents they were/are!
I don’t live at home but I know that if my car needs an oil change Dad will have it done for me. I also still know I have a place to crash (even if it is a couch) when I go to the city for the weekend, even if they don’t get to see me while I am there! My parents are not only my parents now, but also my friends.
I know my mom reads this so:
Thanks mom for being a great parent! Oh and pass that on to dad too!
I can only hope that when I become a mom I can parent my children as well as they parented me!
~S