The beginning of the description for this journal carries a lot of weight, ALMOST all parents want to be good parents. I feel like that should be every parent, but that just isn’t how things work anymore, unfortunately. I grew up with four older sisters, so my parents only did what they could to maintain five young hellions. We were raised old school, so showing emotion was taboo in our family, again unfortunately. Their child-rearing tactics could have used some revision of course, however, it helped me take the bad tactics and eliminate them for my children. The amount of alcohol that was drank in the house when I grew up, was uncommon. So, I have gotten to the point with my children, that I just don’t even drink. I don’t want to influence them, especially when they get to an older age and understand what alcohol is. Also, my children will be able to show any emotion that they need to, so they can understand them better.
I think the culture of small town Wyoming definitely affects how children are brought up. The culture is hardworking, tough, oilfield/miner, guys that should work, drink, and sleep. This carried a lot of weight on us as children because alcohol was constantly around us growing up. It made it so alcohol consumption was known as something everybody did. I believe that if people in certain cultures would put forth the effort to learn better child rearing tactics, then things would be different. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is insanity. And my parents always wondered why my older siblings were always getting in trouble. They were enabled at a young age, thinking that some sort of a substance is culturally accepted and is second nature. Now 20 years later, some of my siblings are finally breaking out of that mindset. It all takes time, especially if it is instilled in us at a young age.
If I were to give a first-time parent any advice, I would advise them to pay attention closely to their child. Observing your child, even from a young age, can enhance your level of understanding with them, and your level of love. Sometimes I find myself observing my one-year-old as she begins learning her fine motor skills. These moments are utterly priceless, and just melts my heart every time. If you have a level of self-love, you will give off more love to the people around you. Furthermore, that level of love for your child, will motivate you to be a better person and a better parent. Leave anger at the door, and don’t allow it to trump other emotions because when your child is crying, it is because he/she cannot speak to you yet. That is their only way of communicating, so if they are crying too much, find what is bothering them. Putting yourself in their shoes for a moment, and you will soon find out how frustrating it is to not be able to ask for what you want.
-Cyral I Callender III
Health and Wellness Repertoire 
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