A protector? A provider? A best friend? Well, just like with anything else in this world, the word “perfect” might be taking it too far. However, there definitely are bad parents out there, and there are good ones as well.“To me, the perfect parent would be someone that listens, spends time with their children, and respects and loves them unconditionally,” says senior Jenna Leo.  A good parent is their child’s best friend. An excellent parent is also their child’s best friend, but knows that sometimes discipline is more important than being seen as “cool.” A good parent appropriately punishes her child when necessary, but listens for the whole story before losing her cool.  Good parents spends time with their children, and provides them with all of the necessities in life for happiness. All of the aforementioned qualities are very important, but the underlying crucial key to good parenting? Unconditional love.

The moment a child is born, the two people’s lives who brought them into this world are changed forever. From that moment on – for the rest of their lives – they have the hardest, most important job in the world. Times can get tough and money can get tight, but as long as a child grows up cared for and loved, everything is going to turn out alright. After all, money and material things will eventually diminish, love is free and the most precious of all.

Girls all around Padua are constantly expressing their gratitude towards the people who got them to where they are, and more often than not, their parents are on that list. Next week at Padua, a senior banquet will be held to honor all of the graduating students and their families. Props to the Padua parents, they do so much for the school, and raise the wonderful young ladies that come out of it.  No parent may be “perfect,” but the Padua moms and dads are pretty close.