A quote from “The Art Of Peoplemaking” by Virginia Satir:
The job is anything but easy. Parents teach in the toughest school in the world -the school for making people. You are the board of education, the principal, the classroom teacher, and the janitor, all rolled into two. You are expected to be expert on all subjects pertaining to life and living. The list keeps on growing as your family grows. Further, there are few schools to train you for your job, and there is no general agreement on the curriculum. You have to make it up yourself. Your school has no holidays, no vacations, no union, no automatic promotions, or pay raises. You are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for at least 18 years for each child you have. Besides that, you have to contend with an administration that has two leaders or bosses, whichever the case may be -and you know the traps two bosses can get into with each other.
Within this context you carry on your peoplemaking. I regard this as the hardest, most complicated, anxiety-ridden, sweat and blood producing job in the world. It requires wisdom, awareness, and knowledge. At the same time, it holds the possibility for the most rewarding, joyous experience of a lifetime. What parent has not had his juices flow when his child says with light and twinkles in his eyes, “Gee mom-dad, you’re great.”
