It is A Level results day

In England it is A Level results day. 

I realised this morning over my tea and porridge that, for me, this was another one of those mindful parenting moments.  I blogged three years ago about our schooled life and how despite my feelings about formal education it was important to me that Calum found his rhythm and that we found a way for it to work for our family.

This morning those decisions felt significant.  The A Level results represent the culmination of his formal education (at the moment he has no plans for University).   I need him to know that I don’t value him any more or less because of academic results.  I know he knows this but it felt an approrpriate time to reinforce the message.

I am writing a series of articles at the moment on sustainable authentic parenting.  If we declare a parenting ethos and believe in it whole heartedly how does that live in the day to day?  How do we stay awake to being socially, culturally, economically, emotionally and environmentally sustainable in the moments that make up our lives?

I intellectualise – it is how I make sense of my feelings and my place in the world.  It matters to me that what I believe and how I behave match.  It matters that I am authentic.  Like anyone interested in a topic I have read many articles on parenting and taken advice from people I respect and I have really thought about why I have disagreed or agreed with particular things.

In our information saturated world the challenge is how to take all the different bits of advice, support, ideals etc and combine them into an authentic approach to parenting…….to anything.  Walk your talk.

So this morning, on my way to work, hours before we knew the results I gave Calum a big hug and told him how proud I am of him and the man he is becoming.