Purpose of Parenting

Last week in class we discussed the purpose of parenting. One of my favorite things said was, "Our purpose as parents is to protect and prepare our children to survive and thrive in the world we live in.". Along with this we must first have children of course. Now I know that sounds stupid but we looked at some stats in class and in 1950, women who got pregnant; 50% of women kept their child, 49% gave them up for adoption, and 1% had an abortion. In 2000, still 50% of women kept their child, but 1% gave them up for adoption, and 49% had an abortion. There is truly a difference between a mother and a pregnant women. I heard a saying one, "just because a woman is a mother, it doesn't make her a mom". Now at first that sounds confusing but its really not. Just because you have a child, that doesn't make you a mom; a mom teaches her child and guides it. A mother loves her child, provides discipline, and helps them prepare for eternal life. Though as parents we learn to sacrifice, develope selflessness, we also are blessed as parents. A child needs contact. There are children out there that act the way they do because of the lack of affection and contact they receive. They want to have that feeling of belonging and contact. We as parents need to offer it freely. Our children are what we teach them, but they also learn by example. Are we being who we want our children to grow up as?