Cannabis and Parenting

When I reflect back on raising my son, I realize that I intentionally stocked my parenting toolbox with some nifty gadgets and gizmos. In addition to having degrees in education and counseling, I embraced methods from parenting courses such as Love and Logic because… I like to love AND I like to be logical.

Plus, their philosophy appeared to have the chill vibe I was looking for.

Our children learn that the quality of their lives depends on the quality of their choices.

I’m not going to lie. Maintaining a loving and logical mindset twenty-fourseven isn’t humanly realistic. And since I’m being honest, I’ll admit to enjoying the occasional illogical decision because perfection really isn’t my style when it comes to relationships.

But, regardless of the enjoyment I get out of the periodic tiff, I know that I definitely would have utilized cannabis to enhance the days and nights of parenting.

Looking back to all of the imaginative dragon rides, Lego towers, and McDonald’s PlayPlace climbing sessions, I sure could have used a handy cannabis device to relieve aches and pains in addition to boosting my creativity when needed.

You might agree there are just some things over-thecounter meds and caffeine can’t deliver.

My son incorporated a lot of imagination into his play. As much as he loved a favorite character or superhero, he loved to modify their features and powers more. That’s probably the reason why he is such a natural DM (Dungeon Master in Dungeons and Dragons) with his friends. Had I been able to utilize the creative benefits of my favorite 5mg edible, I probably would have participated so much more in the adventures of playtime with no doubt about my ability to act responsibly. I did just fine as a mother, and have a terrific son to show for it, but it does make me wonder, what if.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

- Albert Einstein

Now that cannabis is a part of my daily health routine, I’ve discovered the benefits of pain relief, creativity, and a quiet mind. As parents, I don’t have to convince you of the value pain relief and creativity have when it comes to raising your children, but having a quiet mind might need some explanation. It really never occurred to me to seek a quiet mind until I became aware of how much I was missing. If you’ve ever watched a favorite movie after consuming a certain amount of cannabis only to discover scenes you never “saw” before – you might know what I’m talking about. I noticed a (new to me) scene just last night in Sherlock Holmes, and I have seen that movie over 10 times without cannabis!

This leads me to really question, what did I miss when my son was growing up? Did I miss complete scenes because my mind was filled with the hubbub of the past and future? Not only what did I miss, but how many times did I give the excuse of being too tired or feeling too much pain?

I have stumbled my way through the cannabis world as I know it today and found many a strain that took me to far-away places and some left me appropriately in the couch. Keeping in mind the consequences of misuse of cannabis and even the accidental overuse, I encourage parents to find what works for them in different situations and times of the day. It can be tricky to experiment with different cultivars and consumption methods during peak parenting times and for this reason, I recommend scheduling time to train for your cannabis tolerance.

In addition to training for tolerance, I encourage parents to educate their children on their usage before someone else does. The nation seems ok with an over-the-counter pain med break, a caffeine break, and even a cigarette smoke break, but what we really need is a break from the stigma of cannabis. I remember telling my young son that as soon as cannabis became legal, I was going to use it. Even though the thought of his mom consuming cannabis probably caused some concern, I knew it was going to be a part of my life in the future and I wanted him to hear a loving and logical perspective of cannabis. Plus, it gave me an opportunity to practice what I preached as it pertains to making quality decisions.

I’ve always been a bit of a cheerleader for the underdog and maybe that is part of my attraction to cannabis. Yet, after consuming cannabis for the past 3 years and witnessing the benefits to my mind, body, and spirit, maybe cannabis will win the race in my lifetime. As a writer, we get to choose how we approach an article. Through cannabis and parenting, I could have weaved in my experience as a licensed professional counselor under supervision, offering examples of how some parents’ cannabis consumption (in 2005) was linked to neglecting the responsibilities of raising their children, however, I decided to assign energy towards a lighter side (of cannabis and parenting) with my hindsight viewpoints.

Even though my son is 24 years old, I still look for opportunities to improve our communication and evaluate my level of support and I am grateful he gets to see my cannabis-infused parenting style now because I want to leave behind as many loving and logical memories as I can.

Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.

-Charles R. Swindoll