Vanya Wryter Consulting Services

Tag: parenting

  • A Story: How Do You Unwind? 

    A Story: How Do You Unwind? 

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you unwind after a demanding day?
    View all responses

    After a long day, each family member returns home to relax. Everyone has their own routine after work or school, and the most important thing is finding some sort of release from the day’s stress. But even though unwinding after the day brings the family together, they also need time alone.

    Father

    The key turns in the lock, and Dad steps inside, glad to be home after a long day at work. The smell of dinner pulls him to the kitchen, and he asks how his wife and kids are doing. He eats quickly while adding to the family conversation about weekend plans and asking about school and what’s happening that weekend.

    After dinner, he drops onto the couch, happy to catch up on recent news in the newspaper and TV news channels. The kids pile into the room much later, and they watch a family drama together. He wonders where his wife is – she wouldn’t want to talk with him anyway – she doesn’t like to hear about his work stress. If he’s not too tired, he plays games with the kids before bedtime.

    Mother

    Mother watches while her husband and children eat dinner and talk about events at school and in their city. Then she puts away the leftovers and washes the dishes while she thinks about all the other household tasks that she needs to complete the next day. She checks if the children are doing their homework. Her husband is relaxing in front of the TV and not speaking to her. They usually don’t talk because she wants to remind him of all the millions of tasks that they need to do.

    Then she packs the children’s lunches for the next day. This weekend, she will be working part time so she makes a checklist of what she needs to prepare – what outfit to wear, what lunch to bring, what the kids need to do while she’s at work. When her day is done, she looks forward to doing a little reading before bedtime.

    Children

    The school day was long so the children can’t wait to leave the classroom and go home. They first go to the kitchen to grab snacks and watch after-school cartoons. Their mom is busy preparing dinner. TV time is one of the best times of the day.

    If they are lucky, Mom cooks something they like for dinner and mealtime will be quick. Otherwise, dinner will be slow if they don’t like the food. After dinner, it’s the unpleasant task of completing homework. Sometimes homework is fun, and sometimes it isn’t. Then they chat with their friends or find their Dad and watch more TV. 

    All too soon, it’s time for bedtime and lights out. When their parents think they have gone to sleep, one kid turns on a flashlight and starts to read a book under the sheets.

  • What experiences in life helped you grow the most?

    What experiences in life helped you grow the most?

    Every experience, whether big or small, helps us grow. But the experiences that help people grow the most have a profound impact on our lives. These experiences are like a chapter in a book or a phase change like transforming from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Looking at myself and my friends, I would say three life experiences help us grow the most.

    Daily writing prompt
    What experiences in life helped you grow the most?
    View all responses

    Career

    A job is a role you take on. In comparison, a career is a long-term commitment based on your experiences and education. You develop skills that define your life goals and lifestyle.

    A career takes commitment, such as courses for a certification or a degree; or long-term,  on-the-job training. You learn skills that will shape and impact your life for years and even decades. A defines you: you tell people, “I’m a (occupation).”

    You hang out with people with backgrounds, training, and education similar to yours. If you’re a teacher, you’ll meet others in education. If you’re a business owner, you’ll meet others who run businesses, or people selling products or services in the same industry. 

    A career impacts your income and your lifestyle. As a lawyer, you may work long hours and own an expensive house. As an accounts manager for a small company, you may make a modest income, enough to get an apartment and take the vacations you like. 

    For some who want to get into management with years of work experience and promotion, you’ll learn leadership skills and how to communicate and inspire others.

    Marriage

    Another experience that helps people grow is marriage. You’re working through everyday situations with your life partner. This person sees you every day and knows personal aspects of your life–what you eat, how you sleep, your income, your spending habits, your grooming habits, your routines. Unlike your family, who has observed many of the same things, you didn’t make the rules. Your parents did and you had to obey the rules to live with them.

    With marriage, you and your spouse jointly decide where to live–which city, which home, how to spend your money, and where to go for vacation. You share and divide responsibilities. If one person in the relationship is not content, there is an imbalance, and you need to communicate to work things out for the relationship to be healthy again. 

    This person impacts your mental and emotional health. You need to learn to communicate your needs and work out your struggles. You also need to work together. When you choose your spouse, you also choose their friends and family. You need to learn to compromise. Your communication skills are crucial. 


    Parenthood

    Another experience that helps people grow is parenthood. You’re the role model, setting an example for your child. Your priorities shift and you become your child’s protector because the child comes first. For example, you take sick days from work when your child is sick but you continue to work when you yourself are sick, instead of taking a day off.

    You save and spend money on vacations with your child. You spend money on the child’s interests, such as hobbies, sports, and toys. It’s a shift in identity and priority.

    You better appreciate what your parents went through when they became parents. You have a new awareness of what’s good and what’s bad–you’re suddenly aware that shows and movies you used to enjoy have bad language and inappropriate violence.

    As a role model, you watch your language and your words. If you’re tired, you want to ensure that you don’t say something to your child that could cause long-term damage. Your child takes cues from you on how to speak and how to behave.

    Key Takeaways

    Working on your career, getting married, and having children are three experiences in life that help a person to grow. Not everyone gets married or has children, and they will still experience growth. But I think these three types of experiences definitely have a significant impact on a person’s life.

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