Unfortunately, I know many people who do not fully appreciate their children. I hear them complain about the things their children do wrong, and I wonder how often they have tender moments in which they fully grasp what a blessing that every child is. In our fast-paced society, children are sometimes seen as impediments rather than amazing blessings.

Soon after my son was born, a wise friend, who is a parent of two children, gave me some great advice. She said that every parent loves her child, but few cherish him or her. Make a point not only to love your child but also to cherish him. That is what parenthood is all about. I have held onto this advice and made a point to cherish my son, even when we go through difficult phases together.

I cannot forget all that I went through to become this child's mother. I spent 4-1/2 years crying myself to sleep for this child. I invested lots of emotion, money, and time into becoming a mother. After all that I endured to become his mother, I cannot possibly take him for granted. He holds a special place in my heart and always will, in part because of all I went through to bring him into my family.

We do have some rough days together thanks to my son's Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It can be hard to parent a child who acts as if he is on speed and does not have the ability to think through the consequences of his actions. (This does result in some hilarious stories, though!) On those days, I wait until my son is asleep, and then I look at his angelic face. All children look like angels when they sleep and are not getting into anything. Even when we have had a rough day, doing this helps me to appreciate what a blessing he is, even on our toughest days.

But the part that fuels the appreciation the most is knowing how hard I worked to become his mother. My son did not just drop out of the sky when I wanted to become a mother. I endured years of pain, both physically and emotionally, to become a parent. We most appreciate what we work the hardest to achieve.

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Photo Credit: Lynda Bernhardt