Gardener vs Lifeguard: Which Kind of Parent Are You? Slowly, slowly, now—let’s grow. Parenting is hard work—no matter how you do it. Whether you're nurturing your child from the roots or diving in to save them from drowning, the emotional labor is real. But have you ever thought about what kind of parent you are? Are you a gardener or a lifeguard? The Gardener Parent Gardeners begin early. They prepare the soil. They plant seeds. They water. They prune. They stay consistent through the storms and dry spells. Gardener parents take the time to build their child’s foundation with love, boundaries, and trust. They invest in the quiet moments: bedtime stories, honest conversations, gentle discipline, encouragement of curiosity. Their strength is patience. They know growth isn’t instant—it’s slow and invisible at times. But they believe that if they tend to the roots, the child will eventually bloom in their own season. The Lifeguard Parent Lifeguard parents spring into...
They call us lazy, they call us lost, Bound by the weight of a judgment tossed. But in our hearts, a fire still glows, A quiet strength the world may not know. They name us distracted, heads in the sky, Yet stars are born where dreams dare to fly. Who says the road must be straight and clear? What if our path winds, far and near? No label can hold the truth of our soul, A story too vast, a journey too whole. For we are rivers, wild and free, Flowing toward oceans no eyes can see. So strip away the words they say, Let us dance in our own sacred way. For lazy is rest when the heart is weary, Distracted is wonder when life feels dreary. We are not less, we are not more, We are the tide on a limitless shore. Free to be messy, free to be whole, Free to define the depths of our soul.