Global Day of Parents

We talk about life in global terms quite frequently and certainly casually but trying to get my head around the Global Day of Parents I realised that we are talking about parents (and carers) in all the different countries in the world (195 according to Google), and not only the country but the different cultures, different societies, different economies, different climates, different geographies, different demographics and the inevitable differences in parents and parenting.

From this perspective the idea of a “Global Day of Parents” is immensely powerful. All across the world parents raise their children so they can develop into the next generation of human beings to inhabit this planet and take on the mantle of parenthood themselves, a lifecycle essential to the endurance of our species that we share with life across the planet. Parents, and I include all who take on the mantle of parenthood and guardianship, are key to the future.

Those who parent should be proud – but owing to the complexities of life wherever we may be they also need to be supported so that they can become the best parent they can be. For most of us being a parent is rewarding even with the challenges and heartache that can come with the job. Parents across the world face adversity, some so severe that it is hard to imagine, and yet they parent to the best of their ability. And the maternal bond  between a mother and her new born testifies to something universal and timeless in our humanity, as I have recently experienced when my daughter herself became a parent (mother and baby are doing well!).

Parenting is inarguably the world’s most important job no matter where you live on the planet. And that makes you one of the most important people in world, especially through the eyes of your child.

If you’re a parent or carer experiencing conflict at home, the SCCR website has lots of resources that can help.