By Geary Reid
CHILDREN are often oblivious to their parents’ contributions. Some barely spend time with older parents, visiting them rarely or calling occasionally. Some people give money to their parents occasionally, with the expectation that the parents will repay them. Even when several children combine their efforts, they cannot repay their parents for the love and sacrifices they made. Money cannot buy the love that parents give to children. Even with gifts of birthday cards or vehicles, children cannot repay their parents for the contributions they make.
Things Parents Do for Their Children
The relationship between parents and children can be very good or bad. Some children find interacting with their parents challenging and struggle to connect with them due to differences. However, children must understand that they cannot repay their parents for whatever they did or are doing for them. Therefore, it is important that they love and respect their parents.
The process from fertilisation to delivery is explained so that children develop an understanding of how they came into being. Some women may not be aware of their pregnancy in the first few weeks. However, after experiencing some changes in their bodies, they may conclude that they are pregnant. When women are pregnant, their bodies go through many changes. In the labour room, it is a life-and-death situation for women. A mother who leaves the labour room healthy, with a healthy child, is thankful.
Parents live in rented houses for many years to make sacrifices for their children. All their money is spent on taking care of their children. Providing meals can be expensive, especially when there are many children at home, each with different dietary needs. This can put much strain on parents, who stretch their limited financial resources to meet their children’s demands.
Exposure to early education, religion, and social activities can help children find the right career. Once children find their careers with the assistance of their parents, they can have a great future.
The meals provided by parents for their children sometimes come from great sacrifice and love. In some homes, parents skip meals so their children have something to eat. Parents will often provide meals for their children and eat only if anything remains. When parents make these sacrifices, how can children repay them? If children were to skip meals during their early stages, they could have died, but their parents loved them so much that they ensured the children ate first.
When children indulge in activities that cause injuries, parents have to pause whatever they are doing to render medical assistance to their children.
Parents often give children opportunities to exercise. As children exercise, they not only build their physiques but also learn to socialise and may find a career in sports. Although involvement in sporting activities may result in possible injuries, with guidance from parents and coaches, children can learn to avoid injuries skilfully.
Things Children Can Do for Their Parents
Although children cannot repay their parents for all the things their parents did, they can show gratitude. Many parents do not look forward to anything in return. Parents are often happy when their children have grown, become independent, and made positive contributions to society.
Parents like to know that their children care for them. Children can show their love to their parents by praying for them. They can ask for a long and healthy life for their parents.
Any support that can be given to parents in helping them with domestic activities is welcome. As parents age, they may no longer have the sight and strength to complete domestic activities and will welcome support from their children and even grandchildren.
Some parents are alone and lonely because their children do not visit them. This often makes them sad and leads them to wonder if they still have children.
When parents can connect with their grandchildren, friends, and neighbours, they are excited because they have some time to talk with people dear to them. Grandchildren often make their grandparents smile and laugh.
Children must find the time to take their parents to sporting events. This will cause some parents to feel youthful. When children take their parents to sporting events, the parents may have the opportunity to meet their friends and reminisce about old times.
Children can take their ageing parents to markets and supermarkets. Parents can choose products they are most comfortable with, and children can pay for these products.
Remembering and celebrating parents’ anniversaries is an important thing for children to do. Celebrating parents’ anniversaries should not be a one-off event, but rather something that is done frequently by their children.
Parents want their children to love and respect them. Even large sums of money cannot replace the love that children must show their parents. Nothing that children do can be compared to what their parents did for them. All sacrifices made by parents are significant for their children’s development. Children are adults today because their parents loved them greatly, even when they were not doing the right thing.
Prayers by parents have saved the lives of their children from destruction. Parents do not give up on their offspring as they love them deeply. Parents know that each child has the potential to achieve great things.
Parents often want their children to love and respect their neighbours. Parents often build good relationships with their neighbours and do not want their children to damage those important relationships—many of which have started years ago and have gone through testing times.
Friendships established by parents provide great strength to them when they were depressed or needed answers to family problems. Children may not understand why their parents value certain friendships; however, only parents know how these friendships have helped them become better parents.
Often, when women are pregnant, they consult with mothers who have more experience than they do. Sometimes, the advice shared with them gives them a better understanding of the challenges of pregnancy. Friendships also help them to understand the joy of having children.
Fathers tend to build relationships with other men who have children involved in the same sports or attending the same school. Whenever they meet, they may discuss their concerns, and most of the time, older men will provide guidance to younger men.
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