Hey friend,
I’m starting to put language around something I’ve been living for a long time, and I think I’m going to call it Parenting by Design.
It’s not fully polished yet. I’m still building it, noticing it, and watching how it shows up in my own home.
But the heart of it is this:
I don’t want to parent by default.
I don’t want to only react to the behavior, the rushing, the loud moments, the guilt, or the frustration.
I want to be intentional about the feeling of my home, the way I lead myself, the way I understand my child’s behavior, and the kind of person I want my son to copy.
This has been coming up for me a lot with Trey turning seven.
I keep thinking about the memories we’ve made, how much he has grown, and how much parenting has shaped me too.
And the question I keep coming back to is:
What do I want my child to remember about me?
Not because I need to be perfect.
Because I want to be aware.
Because I am the leader of my home, and I get to decide what I want to practice more of.
That’s what I’m creating with Parenting by Design.
A way for parents to look at their home, their reactions, their child’s behavior, and their own leadership with more purpose.
I’ll share more as I build it.
But for today, I want to leave you with this:
What do you want your child to remember about you?
Betsy