What does it mean to be a parent?  What are the different ideas about
parenting, based on talking about motherhood or fatherfood and in
western society.  What are some common cutlrual ideas regarding
motherhood?

This sounds like a homework question....

Well, in answer to your first question, it means you had sex and you
(if a wowan) or your partner (if you're male) got pregneant.

For the 2 that responded, thanks and if you don't have anything good
to say, well then don't.  And yes it is a homework question and I
thought someone out there could just give me a little help since I am
not a parent.

Did your teacher explain 'cutlrual'?

Being a parent means doing lots and lots of things because you have
to, not because you want to.  Being a parent also means having to
think a lot of things out for yourself, because the right answer is
never 100% clear.

Thinking things out and answering this question for yourself would be
good practice for becoming a parent.

Waking up at 2 A.M. because they are hungry, and if you're the
husband, you're up helping as much as you can.  It means that at 4
a.m. you get out of bed and go to a job so you can get off early
afternoons so you can get your kids off of the bus at 3:00.  It means,
dance at 4:40 til 6:00. It means scouts form 6 - 8.  It means playing
games with the kids, it means, that no matter what you will love this
child. It means that you teach love, respect, courage, aspiration,
attitude.  You convey sense of monetary discipline and spending.  You
give up things so your kids can have more.  You give and give and give
till it hurts, then you give some more.  You have the biggest
responsibility you will ever have outside of running a nation.  Your
life as you know it will change, forever; and for the better.

What does it mean to be a parent to me. Well I helped raise my niece
for 5 years and out of my gained knowledge of what being a parents
means is, To be everything for them there support there friend there
family there rock in life. But most of all it means making sure that
they have all of the oppertunities in the world open to them and
making sure that they have a better life than you did.

What does it mean to ba a Parent?  Hmmm.....

Take a small bundle of joy, a baby, and somehow in 18 years, teach it
everything it needs to be a happy, well-adjusted, employed, tax-paying
member of society.

the only thing a child needs is to see their parents face light up
when they see them again ...every time!

there are a lot of things a parent must do but the most important is
to be sure that their child(ren) does not ever ever learn things about
themselves that are not true. for example: that they are
worthless...by not meeting their needs especially when infants and
young children.

and that they learn everyday their incredible worth

ah you say that is spoiling...not true

spoiling occurs when a parents meets the need of a child with a cost
to themselves and they know that the child knows it is an unreasonable
cost. when the child still demands and the parent complies then THAT
is a spoiling situation...do not confuse this with the job of a parent
and that is to meet the needs of children...at any time of the day or
night...

There is an old saying that is worth repeating here.

"When I was 18 my parents were the stupidest people I could ever
imagine but when I was 21 I was amazed how much they had learned in
the last three years".

capitaineformidable.

To Cynthia-ga
Even better, teach it to be a happy, well-adjusted member of the
tax-avoiding, Bush-supporting plutocracy.