by Ganelle Davis

Created on: October 26, 2009

"From the cradle to the grave", was an adage my grandmother always said. Now as a parent ,with a grown daughter, I wonder whose grave was she speaking of. Parenting should be taken very seriously. Parenting or getting pregnant should never be taken on as a dare in a high school gym. Can you imagine the conversation between fifteen year old girls discussing who would get pregnant first and actually betting on the results? Many parents were horrified by this revelation. Do you know what is involved in parenting ? Every parent should ask their teen this question. Even adults should consider if they have the back bone for parenting. The dedication and unconditional love may never be on hiatus when parenting children. Not to mention the money for the necessities,lets leave aside the wants for just a moment. The babies will certainly grow out of those adorable little clothes, you were given at the baby shower.

However, are we the ones to blame for this current condition. Uh Oh, there I go being a parent once again. Parenting is filled with rewards. Seeing your fruit not falling too far from the tree. However parenting requires unconditional love. Sometimes it is very hard. Whenever it is hard, there is always great reward. I believe that. Please don't enter into parenthood thinking it's all cute baby clothes and contagious giggles. Yes, cute baby clothes do exist for a huge price and they get soiled and need to be washed. The cash register is steadily ringing up the items. What about those cute little wise cracking kids you see on T.V Portfolio's and agents factor into a child becoming a star one day. Sure it can happen, with lots of back breaking work. Rehearsal dates, commitments that must be kept.

We don't have a handbook on parenting. Although many experts have offered their advice and heaven forbid, some without any parenting experience. I look to parents who have raised accountable children. Children who understand who they are and where they want to go. That's the best I could do with no experience at all and no mother to guide me through the mine field.

After going through nineteen hours of labor. I realize, I went through that to get me just a little prepared for the sometime painful and tedious work. Can i say it's all been worth it? Yes, I say it to myself every day, i see the results of that nineteen hours of labor and twenty one years of unconditional love , dedication and sixteen hour a day job for my husband to keep up with the cost of helping put a child through college. My grandmother was right..The time frame is correct. It is from the cradle to the grave.

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