Gosh, this is a tough one. You have a role and it is important, but how do we define it, make it real for you, so that you can live by it, put it into practice?

Steve Biddulph, who wrote Raising Boys^* and other books about parenting, said in a recent newspaper interview that our job, as parents, is to keep our children alive until they are old enough to get help for themselves . . .

If you are crazy enough to take on the role of parent, then you are signing an invisible contract with your children to give and get them the very best of everything you can. And I don’t necessarily mean material possessions. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to be all that the very best parenting requires. You will be encouraging, supportive, kind, patient, educational, loyal, honest, caring and loving.

You will have to make sure they eat the best food for developing children. You will supply them with the best education for their talents and skills. You will aim to develop their interests in all areas and not just the ones you are keen on. You will set clear boundaries so they know what’s what, and what they can and can’t do – and with clear and acceptable levels of discipline should they overstep the mark. You will adjust your degree of supervision to match their age – little ones need closer supervision than big ones. You will always provide a safe haven for them to come home to – no matter how much trouble they’ve got themselves into in the big bad world outside.

You will be firm, loving, sharing, caring and responsible. You will set them standards and be a role model to them. You won’t do or say anything you wouldn’t be proud of them knowing. You will stand up for them, protect them and keep them safe. You will stretch their imaginations and feed them with stimuli so they grow up creative, excited about the world and raring to go.

You will approve of them, boost their self-esteem, improve their confidence and send them out into the world literate, educated, polite, helpful and productive members of society. And when the time comes for them to leave the nest, you will help them pack and keep giving that support while they find their feet (or should that be wings?).

Not much then, really.