<a href="http://www.thenestmiami.com/blog/?attachment_id=155" rel="attachment wp-att-155"><img class="size-full wp-image-155 alignleft" alt="astheinternseesit" src="http://www.thenestmiami.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/astheinternseesit.jpg" width="403" height="604" /></a>After interning at <a href="http://www.thenestmiami.com">The Nest</a> for a little over five months now, I have come to the conclusion that navigating the terrains of parenthood is never easy, and in most cases there is rarely only one good way to respond to any situation. Instead, most choices in parenting require a delicate balance between raising your kid with certain freedoms and limitations based on your value system and vision of who you want your child to grow up to be, and respecting the context you find yourself in at any given moment, and what would be considered appropriate within that situation.

For instance, one couple's values for their child were self-expression and independence, and they allotted for this in their child's world by safeguarding the bejeezus out of their home, and allowing their child complete freedom to explore every crevice to her little heart’s content. Fast forward several months later to music class, and their child is having the time of her life running around the room, exploring all of the instruments, examining other toddler's treasures, as the other parents in the room look on horrified. Therein lies the great dilemma of being an intentional parent. In this moment what is more important? Continuing to enforce your child's security and confidence by allowing them full access to this exciting new world that is music class? Or appeasing the other parents, who look nervous, annoyed, or downright offended? Your child doesn't seem to mind, but do you? It is scenarios such as these that are par for the course when it comes to parenting, and the "right" thing to do in a situation like this may be quite different depending on how you were raised, and what values you were taught growing up.

The gift that I see Alina and Lina giving these parents time and time again is the gift of empowerment. To remind parents that they are the experts on their children (<a href="http://www.brazeltontouchpoints.org/">Brazelton,2001</a>), and it is their choices within their value system that truly measure their success and areas of growth in rearing these little humans into citizens of the world. Whether the parent ultimately redirects the child to join the rest of the class and sit still with one instrument, or continues to let their child explore (dirty looks and all), matters less than the feeling of congruence a parent experiences when their intentions align with their actions. As an intern, there’s nothing more rewarding then witnessing a couple’s sigh of relief when they are reminded of this, and given back their power as experts on their own children.