Raising The Next Barack Obama

Roles Parents Ought To Play In Their Child's Upbringing
Published by The Duchesne

As we celebrate Black History Month in the UK, one is forced to take an introspective look on the achievements of our people and the future of our youths. Are they heading down the right paths? Are they believing in themselves?

And most poignant, are we failing our children?

Like many parents, dare I say all, I want the best for my child. On a recent trip from the USA this August, the crew of Continental Airlines invited my son to sit with the pilot and handle the controls.

It was one of those Kodak moments and I flash forwarded 18 years. I wondered if my son knew that he could fly that plane for real if he wanted to someday. I wondered if he knew he could be anything he wanted to be.
And then, I wondered about me and whether or not I was preparing my son to reach his highest potential.

Marvelling at the role I'd have to play and whether I was prepared for it,  I took several pictures. I needed to sieze that moment to serve as a reminder that my job is to make him the Best Man he can be. 
Each time I look at this photo of my son, it makes me more determined to be a better parent.

Now I sit here and I imagine what Barack's mother would have felt if she were alive to see her son stand on that podium.
I am not alone either. It was the achievements of Barack Obama that inspired Taniesha Burke, the author of "Raising The Next Barack Obama" to write her book.
In the book, Taniesha stresses the importance of instilling strong principles in our children on the basis that they will not only adapt those principles but take it to a level where they can believe the famous words of Abraham Lincoln,

' You can have anything you want if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold that desire with singledness of purpose'   

She talks about the role we have as parents to lead by example; to ensure our children have a sense of Who they are; What they can achieve; embracing the philosophy that anything they dream is possible.

Any parent can tell you parenting is the hardest job in the world. But it is the most rewarding and by far the most important.
How we raise our children impact them more than anything else, and whether we are the ideal nuclear family or just a single parent; the role remains the same. There must be no excuses.

In the book there is a beautiful quote that I want to leave you with. May we be inspired to embed this in ourselves and also our children.

"Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream 

so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of 

what you shall one day be."

James Allen

Additional info.

• You can pick up a copy of  Raising The Next Barack Obama on Amazon.

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Photography, The Duchesne