Last night I had the pleasure of attending a University Lecture Series at the University of Texas. The moderator introduced to an auditorium of students, Dr. William Cunningham and Dr. Bill Powers, who were recent presidents of the University. Turning Points was the topic each man was asked to address. What were the big turning points of these successful men’s lives?
Since I was in the midst of preparing a presentation for a Conference for Moms, my ears perked up when I heard each man speak of the birth of his children and their early years as one of his big turning points. It dawned on me that when we go through periods of vulnerability we clearly remember those periods. Vulnerability as defined by Dr. Brene Brown is uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. In these early years with small children, vulnerability looks like: holding a crying baby and not knowing how to calm him, waiting for the doctor to call when a baby is sick, balancing the budget when one of the parents decides to stay home, determining the appropriate day care, and initiating sex after the birth of a child.
Walking through the vulnerability of the early childhood years requires courage, and this journey cannot be done alone. Reaching out is the key to navigating this exciting life turning point for parents of young children.
Move forward,
Jen