The month of May celebrates Mother’s day and it is Father’s day in June. July is dedicated to this invincible team of parents who are responsible for our value system, behaviour, personalities and most of our traits. Parent’s Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of July every year. This year it will be observed on 23rd July. It is the day that celebrates parenthood and recognises the efforts and sacrifices made by parents for providing their kids with a joyful and balanced life.
A parent for their selfless love and sacrifices, should be thanked more often. Although this day serves as a reminder to show our gratitude, we can thank them at any moment or on any day. Recently, a friend confided that while her father was bed ridden in a critical condition, she held back every other emotion to say a thank you to him. He was in tremendous pain and suffering, but she could sense a tinge of peace and contentment that this expression of gratitude gave him. I too keep reminding my child to say a thank you more often for things that we as parents do for her. She learns the power of gratitude and we get a boost knowing she is learning important morals.
As we grow up and often move away from them in pursuit of careers and new relationships, parents sometimes don’t remain a part of our everyday schedules. Parent’s day is a reminder then, that wherever we are, it is because of them that we stand firm. Parents prepare us to take on life, guide us at each step to make the right decisions, backed by their own experiences.
Soulveda takes us through the journey of parents and how Parent’s Day deserves to be celebrated with gratitude and fervour.
The circle of life
“We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves,” this quote by Henry Ward Beecher, is perhaps the most used quote passed on from one generation to the next. What you receive from your parents – love, affection, values, care – you pass to your children and the cycle goes on. You also realize and appreciate the efforts and sacrifices, whether small or large, of your parents, once you are a parent yourself.
While growing up, there may be a phase, when you start taking for granted, the most influential and instrumental figures in your lives. You may even find flaws in them at times. But it is the circle of life that lets us experience parenting first hand, a path full of challenges and sacrifices that it is. Parent’s day is a day for us to shower our parents with love and gratitude for everything they have done for us unconditionally.
Unconditional love
Parents are the only creatures who give us unconditional love and care. This stands true for most animals. Orangutans, lions, polar bears, African elephants are known to fiercely protect, nurture and care for their young ones. As humans, we liberally shower our kids with love, care and attention. As children grow up and find their wings, homes become empty nests, but the love and support of parents remain unconditional and constant throughout life.
You can always go back to your parents for guidance and support even when you are old, standing alone or staring at adversities. Parents are blessed with this unique trait of simply being there for their children, whenever and wherever.
Caregivers above all
Whether as biological parents who give birth or adoptive parents who nurture, it takes every possible effort, hard work, sacrifice and dedication to bring up a child. Right from spending sleepless nights while caring for the child in its infancy to awaiting anxiously yet excitedly for them to come home from school; to working extra hard in order to fund a good education, parents stand determined to provide the best for their children.
Babies right out of the womb look for safety and comfort to feel secured. Parents, by attending to their physical and emotional needs, provide an anchorage to them year after year, which makes them stride ahead with confidence. The time spent by a parent on cuddling, reading, talking or playing with thei kids acts as a foundation for the latter to explore and experience the world outside.
First teachers and role models
Parents act as first teachers to their kids, much before they enrol into formal education. A parent guides a child in their cognitive and n0n-cognitive development. Cognitive development implies the growth of a child’s ability to think and reason whereas non-cognitive development is related to motivation, integrity and interpersonal interaction. An individual’s personality, temperament, mindset and attitude are all shaped by parents and their behaviour.
A parent becomes a role model to a child by how he behaves, not by what he says. Further, a mother-father duo play an extremely crucial role in developing special skills of a child. For instance, an artist parent inspires the child to explore their drawing capabilities whereas a doctor parent might condition and motivate them towards this noble profession.
A parent is always involved in the offspring’s journey, even when they become parents. As grandparents, they may be actively participating in the child’s upbringing or guiding subtly from a distance. In all instances, the parent also grows and learns along with the child.
In this journey, there could be times when you resent them for their mistakes or love them for all the collective accomplishments of the family, but a parent will always love you as you are, simply because you are a part of them!
FAQs
When is Parent’s day celebrated?
Parent’s Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of July every year. This year, it will be observed on 23rd July.
What does Parent’s day stand for?
It is the day that celebrates parenthood. Parent’s Day recognises the efforts and sacrifices made by parents for their kids to have a happy and balanced life.
Are parents first teachers to their children?
Parents act as first teachers to their children, much before they enrol into formal education. A parent guides a child in their cognitive and n0n-cognitive development.
How a parent becomes a role model for the child?
A parent becomes a role model to a child by how he behaves, not by what he says. They play an extremely crucial role in developing various skills of a child.