What? I could hardly believe what I was reading!

My head was screwed up with this fresh perspective. My rock idol was quoted saying:

“Parenting is the most important job anyone can do.”

I was seven months pregnant with my first baby and reading an interview with 1970s singer/songwriter Larry Norman. I had never heard anyone say anything like that. Not ever.

It seemed to be some soppy sentiment to begin with, but he came back to it. Not just once, or twice, but parenting became the whole point of his interview. According to Larry Norman, parenting is one of the most important jobs anyone can do. It wasn’t singing for thousands. Or recording amazing albums. Or even inspiring people about life and death at his concerts. According to him, the most important thing you could ever do was to be a parent.

My whole world suddenly shifted. It truly was a fresh perspective . . .

This longed-for baby growing within me took on another whole dimension. Instead of my pregnancy being just a matter of course – sometime after you get married, you try for a baby – I was in a new zone. I was embarking on the most important job I was ever going to do.

Of course plenty of people say there are far more important things than having children.

However for me, at that time in my life, it was a revelation. And I was blown away.

Now, many years later, I agree with Larry Norman. There really are fewer things more fulfilling, more important, or more difficult, than raising children. Whether you are married or single; and somewhere in the spectrum between being employed full-time and stay-at-home parent; there is no doubt that what you are doing is raising the next generation.

And there are very few occupations more important than that.

THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO PARENTS EVERYWHERE WHO WANT TO ENGAGE IN THE JOURNEY OF INTENTIONAL PARENTING.

The focus is on mothers, but Dads are welcome too. The principles are universal, but the perspective comes from an Australian context. The stories unashamedly bring a Christian world view – but anyone of any spiritual persuasion can benefit from what is brought to this table.

You and your children are the heroes in this journey, with pages being written every day.

What’s your perspective?