A day of family awareness

Did you know that there is a United Nations Declaration called Global Day of Parents? Yes, and it is celebrated every June 1^st of each year. For 2022, the theme is “Family Awareness.”  We don’t really need a declaration to honor and appreciate our parents and be conscious or learn about our respective families but having one makes us not forget this basic unit of society: the family we came from, the parents that brought us into this world, how they cared for us until we can stand on our own, loving their children forever. 

Not everyone is blessed with good parents, one may say, and it is a fact, by the way. But there are also people who took the roles of parents, not necessarily biological. We also have parent figures in our communities in the absence of real ones. In this case, most people have parents they have looked up to, and today we celebrate their works, their lives, and their existence. 

To be a parent is a learning process. Whatever the books say on parenting, being hands on will always teach something that the parent involved will discover. There is not one formula in raising a child. It will always be about getting to know the child and children individually so parenting is really a serious job. Parental involvement always has something to do with how the offspring will grow up. And then parents become elderly. There is no rule that says children should take care of their parents when they get old but that responsibility is voluntary. A good child knows that when parents can no longer take care of themselves due to old age, it is his or her turn to look after them. 

For those with parents who are still young, this is the day to enjoy spending time with them. A busy lifestyle is no excuse to learn about the condition of our parents. It is always a good thing to let them know we think of them, we care for them, we love them. Lucky are those whose parents are still around. Never waste time to make them feel the warmth of their child’s love even how old the child may be. Expressing love is not only for small children who kiss and hug their parents. The older you are, the more you can make your parents feel your loving care. Drop everything now and…

Kumustahin ang magulang natin.