The Tugboat Aspect of Parenting
When you think of a tugboat, you don’t necessarily think of a very important aspect of boating. Tugboats are small and not the most attractive vessel to look at, but their job is quite significant. Without the tugboat, the larger ships on the water would not be able to carry out their purpose.
A tugboat is a vessel that maneuvers other larger vessels to their destination by pushing or pulling them (hence the name ‘tug’), with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, such as in crowded harbors or narrow canals; or the ships that cannot move at all, such as barges, disabled ships, log rafts, or even oil platforms.
As parents, we play a similar role to that of a tugboat. We guide our children by teaching them, just as the tugboat guides the larger vessels. We show them how to handle tough situations: leading by example and using a listening ear when our children, even adult children, are not sure of what to do next. Just as the tugboat guides the larger ships in the narrow canals, we provide encouragement and guidance to our children when they find themselves in sticky situations much like how the smaller vessel leads the giant ship back through the harbor safely to dock…
