BYU-I Parenting Skills Takeaway #3: Find Role Models

This is the third and final post I will make in my FAML 120 Takeaway series.

Role Models Along the Journey

My last takeaway from the class I took is comes from all the reading and experts we read and watched. This lead me to want to find and adopt role models to set as goals on my parenting journey. They would act as cairns (trail markers) on my path that I can align myself to. These include expert examples such as the authors of the reading materials, presenters of video seminars, or the course's professor. Role models could also come from our personal lives such as our own parent, grandparents, or anyone we know who we think well of their parenting style (a parenting style that is consistent with NEPEM's principles). I will list two role models I have thought about and why I want to emulate them. 

It should be no secret that BYU-I is a private, religious university so both of my role models are religious in nature. If that bothers you, I'm sure there are other blogs out there that don't feature religion in any way, however I feel these role models hav something for everyone regardless of faith status.

In ascending order first up is President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is an experienced parent having ten children of his own and a veritable army of grandchildren and great grandchildren. One aspect of his parenting style that I really want to get down is a mindset that he (and his wife) use in their family and their marriage. The acronym is LAWN. Loved Adored Wanted Needed. In my home we swap the A in LAWN for appreciated. This frame of mind lets us remember what it takes to keep someone coming back to the dinner table each night. If any of those elements are missing, the desire to stay together as a cohesive family unit is lessened. 

The second and greatest parenting role model I follow is Heavenly Father God Himself. We can see in the Bible His many characteristics that are absolutely worthy of emulation. Giving good gifts, infinite love and patience, the wisdom to know when to step in and help and when to allow children to accomplish feats on their own. Indeed there could be volumes and volumes written (and likely are) based on God's parenting virtues and how to incorporate them into our lives. 

To conclude this series, I know that I am not perfect at parenting. I catch myself now doing the things that I have learned I should not because of tradition and habit. But I am grateful that this course has made me aware of those things and given me the chance to set goals and make those little adjustments every day until I am where I hope to be (or at least closer and closer to it). I know the same thing can happen for any of us parents who want to improve. You can do this.