**Table of Contents**
When teachers, family, friends, or other respected individuals offer a compliment about your child that goes beyond grades or academics, it can make you swell with pride. It’s especially heartwarming when your daughter’s preschool teacher tells you about her willingness to help and support a classmate with special needs.
Young children are naturally self-centered, making it difficult for them to see a situation from someone else’s perspective. Let’s be honest: they don’t care that you’re dealing with the flu in your room—they want their grilled cheese, and they want it now! Because of this, those rare moments when your child sets aside their own needs are truly special. Seeing them shopping for a charity gift in the toy aisle and not asking for something themselves is a huge milestone.
A significant part of parenting involves helping our children tackle the challenges they face daily. Some days, it feels like the list of their “problems” is endless, and you’re running around like a firefighter putting out fires. Watching your daughter try ice skating and struggling with confidence and coordination, but then coming back after a short break to keep falling for an hour until she finds her balance, is truly remarkable.
As you move past the chaotic toddler years, something amazing happens. You begin to clearly see your child’s personality traits and natural talents develop. Few things are as exciting for a parent as discovering the unique qualities of the little person you’ve helped shape. It’s truly wonderful when your 4-year-old uses their goofy personality to lift the mood on a grumpy Monday morning.
In today’s world, kids often feel the pressure to fit in more than ever. Sometimes this means they may not speak up when someone else’s safety or feelings are in jeopardy. It’s our hope that our kids have the confidence to stand up for what’s right. Knowing that your child found the courage to confront a bully or the confidence to inform a teacher about inappropriate behavior is incredibly reassuring. As they grow, we realize we won’t always be there to guide their decisions. Knowing they will stand up for what’s right helps us sleep better at night.
As their brains develop, kids learn to practice self-control, usually around ages 6 to 8. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities! You might catch your child pausing, taking a deep breath, and thinking before responding during a conflict with a sibling. It feels like you’ve conquered Everest—not just because it’s surprising, but also because it’s amazing.
It’s hard to describe, but many parents will know this feeling. It’s when your child steps outside of themselves and is completely immersed in love and joy. Like the moment your daughter adoringly gazes at her baby brother and then hugs him tightly. Or the first time you hear, “I love you, Mom,” and know that they truly understand what it means.
So, the next time you collapse onto the couch after a long day of parenting, take a moment to appreciate the small signs your child might be giving you—signs that quietly reassure you that parenthood is not all struggle and no reward. Childhood can be challenging, and behaviors aren’t always perfect. However, if we stay focused on long-term goals and values for our kids, we’ll see that slowly but surely, they’re growing into the amazing, loving, and remarkable people we always knew they could be.
