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Parenting our way: What’s important to you as a parent

This resource is part of Parenting our way, a collection of resources created with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, families and workers to support children’s social and emotional wellbeing.

 

Parenting isn’t one-size-fits-all. What matters to one person might not matter to someone else, and that’s OK.

We all bring our own values, beliefs and experiences into how we raise our children. So, it can be helpful to take a moment and think about what’s important to  you as a parent. What do you care about most? What kind of environment do you want to create for your family?

 

‘Making sure our kids are built strong enough mentally, spiritually and with grounded roots.’

– Parent, Tarndanya workshop

 

Having a look at your values, beliefs and what feels right for your family can make a big difference. It can guide:

    • our decisions
    • how we respond to challenges
  • the relationship we want to build with our children.

Watch this video (2 minutes, 25 seconds) and listen to what other parents have told us about their hopes for their children.

As you can see in the video, there are many different hopes that parents have for their children.  

We’ve come up with a few questions that might help you think about your own hopes as a parent:   

  1. What matters most to me in life?
  2. What are my hopes for my kids?
  3. What kind of parent would I like to be?
  4. What values do I want to share with my children?
  5. Are there cultural values or family traditions that I want to share with my kids?

You might want to take a moment to think about these questions or print them out to put on your fridge as a reminder. You can download the pdf and print it out using the following link. 

Link to pdf version of questions

Thinking about these hopes can be helpful and serve as a reminder about what is important to you as a parent, including how you can pass down values, cultural ways and practices. It can also help shape:

  • who we are as parents
  • our relationships with our children
  • our children’s identities
  • the choices our children make later in life.

 

‘Keeping up my parent’s values of respect and really living them.’

– Parent, Garramilla workshop

 

Family is where we first start learning what really matters in life. This learning happens through everyday moments and memories made with children and families. It includes how we:

  • talk to our children
  • celebrate our wins
  • deal with problems.

These things help build a base for children that they will carry with them as they grow and help keep your family connected to what’s important for you.

In the next video (42 seconds), Angela talks about her hope that her daughter can form strong connections with her family and identity.

 

What’s next? Explore other Parenting our way resources:

Discover more resources

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