The Daily G.I.F.T. from The GratiDude

The only recipe for great parenting is staying present and curious. Here, now.

www.grateful4.org

Gratitude

Intention

First

Things

The G.I.F.T. Today

Grateful-to know that shame of my past only hurts me, instead I elect to dig deeper for the synchronicity and lessons. Now you are living.

Intention-breath and listening skills today

First-car stuff

Things-dinner res

Morning Platitude from The GratiDude

You can’t spot a great Dad, a great parent, a great Guardian, by the way that they dress, whether they are fashionable and hip or outdated or even slovenly.

That tells you nothing about their focus and dedication.

And you certainly can’t tell by their hair( or the lack there of), I’ve seen some incredible bald daddies like my buddy Jay up in Charleston and some dreadlocked Rasta-Poppas with hair down to their feet that might be the greatest fathers ever put on creation.

Nope, you can’t judge a dad by their appearance just like you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Here’s one thing you can look for that’s a sure giveaway of spotting a great dad, and that’s a man that gives a rat’s ass what anyone else thinks about how he is parenting and the way he goes about raising his child. A great dad has blinders on and is not worried about their ego or what anyone outside of the family thinks about their behavior.

Anybody parenting for style points and for approval from the outside has missed the boat entirely and lost focus of the child.

Examples of this or when parents insist on bringing their children to elaborate or rigid or stuffy events that require getting dressed up. Unless kids are important to the overall experience, if it’s truly a ritualistic family building or bonding type of experience, it is OK to make the kids get dressed up and they’ll understand and thank you for it later.

However, what I see here in Sarasota often times are people getting their kids all dolled up and taking them to country club events or cultural events downtown where it’s mostly adults and the kids are expected to behave like adults to speak in hushed tones, and to appreciate the finer things in life when really they would rather be running around outside with other kids.

I love watching parents that clearly have open and healthy communication relationships with their kids when they are out and about because they move as a collective unit, almost like birds move intuitively and instantaneously in unison together, and nobody can quite explain it.

When a family is locked in and feeling a strong bond of love together when they go out in the universe, they may be four or five or six separate people, but they fly together as one tight flock, sharing, love and energy and constantly checking in on each other.

While there’s no single formula for “great” parenting, vulnerability can be a powerful tool for building stronger, more connected parent-child relationships by fostering trust and open communication.

Here’s why being vulnerable as a parent can be beneficial:

Models Healthy Relationships:

When parents share their feelings, fears, and mistakes, they demonstrate that it’s okay to be imperfect and to be vulnerable, which can help children learn to do the same.

Deepens Connection:

Vulnerability allows for a deeper level of connection and intimacy between parents and children, creating a safe space for open communication and emotional sharing.

Builds Trust:

Showing your vulnerabilities, like admitting mistakes or expressing feelings, can help children trust you more and feel more comfortable sharing their own vulnerabilities with you.

Enhance Empathy:

By being vulnerable, parents can help children understand and empathize with others’ feelings and experiences, as they can see that everyone experiences vulnerability.

Inspires Teens:

Research suggests that parents who show vulnerability are more trusted and inspire their teens.

One of the great benefits of staying present and aware by being connected to your breath is that you can make your family time or your time with friends feel like it lasts longer because you’re truly present for more of the experience and not missing anything as it happens.

This awareness also allows you to look for opportunities to leverage your creativity and sense of humor and to bring joy and laughter to others just like this father did when he spied his little boy sliding over to the driver side of the truck and grabbing the steering wheel. It was too perfect of an opportunity to not fall into the cop role and try to give his son a ticket for speeding, which obviously the kid thought was the funniest thing ever as the squeals of delight are proof positive.