Today is all we have..... No one knows what will happen tomorrow.

​"My daughter hates me today for making her practice music and take exams. But I don't care. I know one day she will realize how valuable this is and then she will thank me."

A mom I was speaking to the other day proclaimed. 
Do you agree that being hated today is okay? 
I don't. 

The way I look at it... Today is all we have..... No one knows what will happen tomorrow. 

And I am not sure if knowing how to play the piano will help my child face the challenges that come up. 

But I am positive that the emotional strength that comes from being loved - will give her the resilience she needs to overcome the challenges. 

But does that mean that I will not ask her to practice playing the piano today and not encourage her to take exams in it? 

No. 
Not at all. 
I will. 

But instead of prioritizing the skill she is acquiring... I will prioritize the relationship we are building as she learns a new skill. 

That in my opinion is the true meaning of "slow parenting".... And that is what I really mean when I say that we need to parent without agenda. 

The agenda should only be to love and be loved. Everything else is incidental.