Parenting can often feel like a thankless endeavor. You might find yourself awake all night with a sick child, only to be rewarded with nothing more than a mess on your lap. A long day at a crowded amusement center might culminate in a meltdown on the way home, and after scouring stores for that coveted gift, the only acknowledgment you receive is a whine about the wrong color.
It’s often said that we only truly grasp the sacrifices our parents made once we step into their shoes. While I like to think I would have eventually come to appreciate my parents’ efforts regardless of my own parenting journey, the reality is that my understanding deepened significantly after becoming a parent myself.
Throughout my life, there have been countless unexpressed thank-yous to my parents. Sure, there are the obvious ones—like giving me life and providing for me for 18 years—but there are also the subtler acknowledgments that, in many ways, carry more weight. So, to my wonderful parents, here’s my heartfelt gratitude:
- Thank you for gently rocking me to sleep and soothing me with back rubs during my early years.
- Thank you for your patience during my countless tantrums and demands of my toddler and preschooler days.
- Thank you for enduring a long trek back to retrieve my beloved Strawberry Shortcake doll, which I probably forgot about shortly after.
- Thank you for coming to school over and over to comfort me, even with a newborn and toddler at home needing your attention.
- Thank you for managing the chaos of grocery shopping with three restless kids and never leaving one behind in the frozen food aisle.
- Thank you for road trips filled with my endless “Are we there yet?” questions, and for never actually turning back.
- Thank you for transporting me and my friends to Girl Scout meetings, sleepovers, and swim meets.
- Thank you for including us on vacations, despite the fact that traveling with kids is hardly a vacation for parents.
- Thank you for caring for me when I was sick, especially during that unforgettable boat trip when I was ill.
- Thank you for teaching me about diversity, ensuring I understood that a homogenous world would be dull.
- Thank you for getting us that puppy we begged for, which you ended up caring for most of the time.
- Thank you for weathering the storm that is puberty with grace and understanding.
- Thank you for making me feel beautiful during my awkward teenage years when I faced criticism about my appearance.
- Thank you for instilling in me the value of kindness as the most important trait one can possess.
- Thank you for feigning busyness when my friend confided in me about her first intimate experience.
- Thank you for never saying “I told you so” during my less-than-stellar dating years.
- Thank you for waiting until I left for college to get cable, giving me a comeback to my kids’ complaints about TV.
- Thank you for delaying central air-conditioning until I was gone, so I could handle my own challenges after childbirth.
- Thank you for raising me to be independent and strong—whether you knew it or not, you instilled a feminist spirit in me.
- Thank you for showing me that even the simplest daily chores can hold profound meaning and purpose.
- Thank you for sacrificing your dreams to help pave the way for mine.
- Thank you for your honesty in admitting that you didn’t always have answers and were figuring things out as you went along.
- Thank you for watching my kids when I needed a break, and for reassuring me that everything was fine (even when it might not have been).
- Thank you for loving my children with an intensity that mirrors the love you showed me.
- Thank you for teaching me the importance of expressing gratitude, even if it sometimes comes after the fact.
I wish I could promise to be better about expressing my thanks in the future, as life often distracts us from acknowledging those we love most. So, Mom and Dad, consider this my most significant THANK-YOU for everything you’ve done and continue to do. And to my kids, don’t fret—winning a mountain of tickets at Chuck E. Cheese was more than enough of a thank-you.
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In summary, while we may often forget to say thank you, it’s essential to pause and recognize the profound impact our parents have on our lives. Their sacrifices and lessons shape who we become, and expressing gratitude is a vital part of that acknowledgment.