Parenting can be difficult, particularly when we are also trying to balance the many responsibilities that we have in other roles in our lives (as employees or managers, children, friends, and more). Yet as parents we have a wonderful opportunity to shape young lives and, in the process, to continue our own growth and development.
Reflecting on our purpose as parents can help us stay invested when things feel challenging, which is crucial to our children’s development. For instance, parents who are more invested raise kids with better cognitive functioning, school readiness, emotional development, empathy, and ability to form strong and healthy relationships with their peers. Furthermore, connecting to our purpose as parents is also important to our own well-being, as people with a stronger sense of purpose in life tend to have better mental health, physical health, and longevity.
This practice takes between 15-25 minutes and can be done whenever you need to reconnect with your sense of purpose as a parent.
Parenting can be challenging and stressful at times, but it is also an extremely fulfilling and rewarding experience. Tapping into our sense of purpose as parents can help us stay grounded and invested in our children’s development while also increasing our own well-being. Here’s a short practice to reconnect with your sense of purpose.
Find a quiet space where you can spend a bit of time reflecting on the following questions in a journal or on a digital device, if you prefer.
Mahalik, J. R., Di Bianca, M., & Martin, N. G. (2023). Evaluation of brief online interventions to increase sense of purpose for fathers living in the United States. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 24(1), 26–33. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000414
Fathers who practiced Reflect on Your Purpose as a Parent reported a stronger sense of purpose and desire to contribute to the world, compared to those who didn't do the practice or those who simply learned about the benefits of paternal investment in children.
Past research suggests that knowledge alone does not inspire a sense of purpose. To find purpose, parents and individuals need to understand how their actions are linked to their life as a whole and sense of self. This short reflection allows parents to find meaning by focusing their attention on the impact that their actions as parents have for their children and potentially even the world.
Furthermore, this reflection helps parents recognize how parenting is so intricately related to their own values, goals, and skills. This is particularly important when we feel overwhelmed and start feeling uncertain about our effectiveness as parents. Thus, this short reflection helps parents recenter themselves by allowing them to remember just how meaningful their role is and how well-aligned it is to what matters to them.