Amanda Griffin Jacob’s Pride Shows How Kids Inspire Parents
Amanda Griffin Jacob beams with pride as her “Lila Girl” slays on stage for her dance competition.
We want our kids to excel or if they do, exceed and achieve more than we ever did. Even more so when they surprise us with something that we never imagined for ourselves. Some of us turn into, as IJM ambassador Amanda Griffin Jacob kindly puts it, a “pile of mush (and stress)” whenever we see our kids amaze us in novel and inspiring ways.
“That’s my Lila Girl. I can’t tell you how proud I am of her. I’m forever a pile of mush (and stress) whenever I watch her onstage,” gushes Amanda on her Instagram.
Parents can admire their children, too!
While it’s usual for kids to draw inspiration from their parents, it’s a pleasant and heartwarming surprise when it’s vice versa. It’s a double victory for us parents when we watch our kids shine as we witness a more concrete result of our parenting and a culmination of generations of traditions and beliefs passed down from one parent to another. It shows especially when Amanda Griffin Jacob reveals the source of Lila’s love and talent for dance.
“She didn’t get her dance talent from me (comes from her champion ballroom dancer grandmother). And that confidence! I could only dream of being that confident, even now,” admits Amanda. “The discipline and drive — well that is something we have in common, but I certainly didn’t have that when I was 8 years old.”
Witnessing our children’s individual personalities shine makes us even more proud. Their traits that complement ours provide us with lessons that we could not have learned on our own, something that Amanda further expounds. “It is the biggest blessing to witness, love, and guide her in the primary chapters of her journey. And I learn so much and gain so many enlightening life lessons from her along the way.”
Kids inspire us a lot more than they realize
Our children see us as their heroes, idols, and role models to whom they attribute their success to. But it’s not a one-way street; their growth is an adventure that’s filled with an unpredictable but fulfilling kind of stress as we learn more about them and ourselves. When our kids succeed or exceed us, they awaken a raw feeling that inspires us to succeed in our own field.
Because if they can do it, we can, too.
More parent stories?
Mikaela Lagdameo Shares a Co-Parenting Truth: “What Matters is We Show Up for Our Children.”
Rita Daniela Talks About Co-Parenting with Ex-Partner
Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola: Parenting in Full Bloom
