To my friends, parents (and not only).

You probably wonder why I didn’t publish an article last week. Well, I decided that I do not want writing of an article to be an obligation, I want it to be a pleasure. Without any prescribed order.

Before I start writing, I want to have something to say, something real, something that may wake you up.

Listen to what happened to me recently:

Few weeks ago, I meet a new coachee for the first time. Very young man. We started with his story.

Andrew was a nice, well behaving little boy till the age of 15. Then his mother decided to commit a suicide. First time, then the second time, five times over two years. Every time Andrew was the one to find her just in time. He managed to give her all the help she needed at the very last moment and call the ambulance. She survived.

I met Andrew five years later, in a prison (sentenced for burglary). His mother is under good medication and according to his words in a very good shape. He has strong Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

I am happy to say that Andrew is getting better, finally. After all the years of doubts he starts to suspect that life has value. Because of what his mother was repeatedly doing, he thought that life is something horrible that we have no influence over it and we should live quickly and get what we want before we die (unhappy).

I am telling you about this client because his story moved me a lot. As a mother and as a person. It reminded me what a responsibility it is to be a parent.

It happens that we are very selfish in our happiness or pain. When we are getting divorced, having a new baby, partner or job. So excited about our own feelings that we easily forget that someone else is watching us.

While we should be aware that our behaviour in the moment of crisis can change the perception of life for our kids.

It is one of the reasons why our well-being is so important, we you should take care of ourselves, be in a good shape and act as our heart, not ego, would do.

We should be responsible because we are not alone anymore.

I hope one day Andrew understands that he couldn’t have done anything else for his mother, that he was a hero, not a sinner in the described situation.

I hope, we - parents, accept how big a challenge and privilege it is to be someone’s mother and father and make it one of the most important missions of our lives.