After losing his son, this father wrote down 10 essential rules that he believes every parent should follow
If there is a pain that everyone recognizes as one of the most terrible, it is the pain of a parent who survives the death of their child.
Only those who have experienced it can know the feeling of helplessness a parent faces after having to say goodbye to their child. It is a blow from which they will never recover, even after many years have passed.
This is the same situation that a young father, Richard Pringle, experienced with his sweet little son, Hughie. At only three years of age, his son passed away due to a brain hemorrhage caused by a problem that Hughie had from birth.
Richard's heart, like that of the rest of the family, was shattered, and only after a year has he somehow learned to manage his grief or at least how to live with it.
Consequently, Richard wants to share a series of "teachings" that he has learned firsthand from this terrible experience, hoping that they can help other parents.
Often we assume that we have our whole life ahead of us, and we forget to enjoy every single moment with the people we love. Here is the precious advice that dad Richard shares with us.
- 1. Enjoy every single moment. Do not be distracted by commitments, by boredom or the daily routine because every moment you spend with your kids is precious;
- 2. Saying goodnight and good morning is critical. Never forget to greet your children with a kiss; Sometimes I did not do it, and I could not imagine that a kiss could well be the last one;
- 3. Collect memories. Video, photo, and audio ... never get tired of making and collecting memories. When you least expect it, they can become extremely valuable.
- 4. Don't waste time! The clock never stops, so take advantage of every opportunity to play, talk, and laugh with your kids. Do not put it off till tomorrow, because it might be too late.
- 5. Keep a diary of what your children do. My wife and I have put together a scrapbook of memories about little Hughie. And then we also started doing it for our other children, so when they grow up they will be able to see everything they did as kids!
- 6. Do not be stingy with your love. Love never ends, so even when you have demonstrated a lot of love, there's always so much more to show!
- 7. Money is nothing. I do not remember how much I spent with my son and on my son, but if he were here, I would spend ten times as much. Money is nothing when compared to the memories you can accumulate ... therefore, spend your money with your children, especially to create memorable experiences.
- 8. Don't be lazy. When you wake up in the morning, your first thought should be: What are my children doing? No matter how big they are, call them, worry about them, and love them.
- 9. Sing anytime, anywhere. While it may seem odd or trivial, this advice is crucial. Many of our memories about Hughie regard music such as the songs we listened to together and sang at the top of our lungs, now every time I hear them, I think of him.
- 10. Make the most of every moment as if it were your last. Every moment is a good opportunity to smile, play games, run, and dream! Life is too short and unpredictable, do not waste time on false priorities .... one day you might regret!
Hugs to this brave dad ... and his little warrior who we are certain is watching over him!
