"The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children."
(From the book Unselfish: Love thy Neighbor as Thy Selfie, pg. 164, compiled by Paul D. Parkinson)
Hmmm...now compare the quote above with this one, which seems to take a slightly different view:
Dr. James Dobson, a Christian author and psychologist said:
"Children are worth our very best efforts to raise them. Nevertheless, even a noble and necessary task can be taken to such extremes that it becomes harmful to both the giver and the receiver. In the child's case, there is a direct link between superparenting and overprotection, an egocentric perspective on life, and in some cases, a prolonged dependency relationship with parents."
(Parenting Isn't for Cowards, pg. 131)
I think that parenting, along with many other facets in life, is about finding the correct balance. As a parent you need to make the raising of your children a top priority, but the children should not become more important than everything all of the time. It is a challenge to make children feel important without feeling entitled, valued without being spoiled, and confident without becoming arrogant. What an interesting topic.
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