I grew up in a small town of 59 people in the middle of the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. 

Once I understood you don’t have to be perfect to be successful, life became enjoyable. My parents taught me that doing the right thing at the right time produced positive results.

Mom and Dad both worked, but that did not prevent us from doing things as a family. We went camping, played neighborhood softball games, went to the drive-in theater for all the John Wayne movies, bowled together, and ate dinner (actually, we called it supper) together.

My independent actions and ideas were allowed, even encouraged. Buying amateur radio equipment or a new BB-gun gave me the opportunity to find a job to pay for it. Thus, raising chickens and selling the eggs, even picking and canning tomatoes for the lady down the road became part of my middle school years.

During the early years of college, my relationship with God gave me the courage to deal with some tough emotional challenges.

Now, as an experienced classroom teacher, parent and grandparent, I am thankful for the parenting lessons my mother and father implanted in my heart. Those ideas are nothing new or radical, just logical and effective.

One evidence of positive, not perfect, parenting that they imparted to me is quite simple – I continue to wake up every morning anxious and excited to get on with another good day!