There is something deeply emotional about becoming a parent and watching our children grow. Eventually, without even realizing it, we begin looking at them and seeing younger versions of ourselves. Their personalities, their expressions, their struggles, their laughter, and even the decisions they make can take us back to moments in our own childhood.

As parents, we often find ourselves reliving our youth through our children. We see opportunities to give them things we may not have had, experiences we wish we could have experienced, and freedoms we may not have been afforded.

Sometimes, we are trying to protect them from the very things that once hurt us. Other times, we are trying to recreate the beautiful memories we once cherished.

But there is something we must be mindful of: Our children are not an opportunity for us to go back and rewrite our own childhood.

We cannot go back in time and change what may have happened to us, whether those experiences were good or bad. We cannot erase disappointments, undo mistakes, revisit missed opportunities, or make different choices for the people we once were. And while our intentions may be rooted in love, we must be careful not to place the weight of our unfinished (childhood) experiences on the shoulders of our children. Why? Because they deserve the freedom to create their own memories, discover their own identities, make their own mistakes, and experience life through their own eyes.

Quite honestly, one of the greatest gifts of parenthood is, recognizing the little child who still lives within us while allowing the children we are raising to become who they were created be.

Although, we cannot change the childhood we had, we can influence the childhood our children will remember. For us adulthood, Healing begins when we stop trying to give our children the childhood we wish we had and start appreciating the opportunity to give them the childhood they deserve.

I say that to say this – Parenting is not just about raising children; it is also about learning to embrace, understand, and make peace with the child we once were.

As this holiday season approaches, let’s remember that we may not be able to change yesterday, but we have the beautiful opportunity to create new memories today. Memories filled with #love, #laughter, #traditions, #experiences, and #moments that our children will carry with them long after they have grown. #PAUSE #LEAP