What inspires me to move beyond the limitations and obstacles of being a divorced parent in a culture traditionally designed for shared parenthood is the love of my children and a desire to not only be a part of their lives, but to have influence on how they think, reason, and develop. It is challenging due to roadblocks that can easily be put in place by the custodial parent, but I made a decision long ago to put one foot in front of the other, every day, and never give up.
I feel, above all others, it is the responsibility of the parents to raise their children. Parents can get involved and do their best to influence their community and schools, but ultimately it is their job to instill the importance of education, values, discipline, and responsibility for oneself.
Playing with your children, participating at their level, teaching by example, and making certain to allow them the time and opportunity to have fun is so very important. In addition, allowing your children to freely play with others, without the parents hovering over them, is fast becoming non-existent, and we are raising our children without socializing and problem solving skills. Let them play and you will be amazed at what they learn, how they develop and who they become.