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Going unrewarded

Adele Hamilton, Editor, Parent24
Adele Hamilton, Editor, Parent24
“Are you going unrewarded?” asked a dad at the waterpolo.

I looked confused. “As parents mostly do,” he explained.

I knew what he meant. Being a parent can be a thankless task at times, especially when schlepping ungrateful teens around. But by and large I do not feel unrewarded. I may feel drained, peeved, and cash-strapped, but rewards there are aplenty.

Like when my teenager hugs me, looking down at me lovingly from his towering height. Or when my 9-year-old brings me his spelling test to sign, beaming because it’s full marks. Or when, as Parent24 Editor-in-Chief Sam Wilson describes, I hear that same knock-knock joke for the tenth time and it still makes me laugh.

Of course, there are some other more challenging moments such as when your 5-year-old unexpectedly uses language you don’t approve of.

Mostly, the job itself is its own reward. Do the little things that make up being a parent, and, hey presto, kids who grow, and learn, and are their own fabulous people.

What are your most rewarding moments as a parent? And when do you feel unrewarded?

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