Parent’s Day

The 4th Sunday in July is Parent’s Day. This year it also happened to be the day of Roo’s birthday party (7.26.09) but I’ll cover that in another post.


What is Parent’s Day; well here is what I pulled from the official website:


In 1994 President Bill Clinton signed into law the resolution unanimously adopted by the U. S. Congress establishing the fourth Sunday of every July as Parents' Day, a perennial day of commemoration similar to Mother's Day and Father's Day. According to the Congressional Resolution, Parents’ Day is established for "recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children."


The establishment of Parents’ Day was the result of a bipartisan, multiracial and interfaith coalition of religious, civic and elected leaders who recognized the need to promote responsible parenting in our society and to uplift ideal parental role models, especially for our nation's children.


Since the creation of this annual day of commemoration, local faith communities, elected officials and activists throughout the nation have creatively launched many activities around the theme of Parents' Day designed to celebrate and strengthen the traditional, two-parent family.
The National Parents' Day Council does not envision Parents' Day to be yet "another" day to honor parents, but rather a day when parents honor their children and the God-centered family ideal by rededicating themselves to manifest the highest standard of unconditional true love.


Although it’s refreshing to see a holiday that is based on the ideal that we should honor our children (because we should everyday) I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the fact that they assume that just because there is a two-parent family it’s in some way ‘better’ than a one-parent family. It is the best case scenario and one that I am grateful I have the ability to provide my daughter with; it’s not always realistic. And I don’t believe that God loves any parent or child less if they don’t come from a two-parent family.

I grew with my mom as a single mother. My sister is a great single mother. Was/is it easy for them? No, but it’s not always easy for me either and I have a husband. So weather you’re a single mom, single dad, step parent, adopted parent or anyone else I’m leaving out…Enjoy your children on Parent’s day; and every other day. They grow to fast.