This Indigenous Mother’s Simple Approach to Parenting Helped Raise a Daughter With a Strong Voice

You probably have moments as a parent where you feel like nothing is getting through to your kids. 

But you are getting through, some of the time. Which is what any parent can really hope for, right? Just know you're doing a great job. 

For Lisa, a mother of two girls, her parenting style comes from a place of spirituality, but she simplifies concepts into digestible, accessible nuggets for her kids. 

And it's this approach — which you can see in the short video above — that has helped her daughter grow up into a young woman with a strong voice. 

Full transcript: 

Lisa (mother): “I’m learning to come from a place of love — always, no matter what. I’m starting to teach my girls the simplest little things to accept what Creator gave them. How they can help us spiritually."

Santana (daughter): "Our belief is before you come down you already know who your mom is; you pick her, right. The first thing you hear is your mother’s heartbeat. Your children are the only people who know what your heart feels like. For me, I guess, who built my soul is my mother. And that came from being three years old and she put in dance. And I just completely fell in love with it. Dance is my passion. Because I don’t talk about my feelings and I know my mom knows that. So, once she put me in dance, that’s how I let my feelings out. Dance helped me with talking when not talking."

Lisa: "She’s been my greatest teacher right from very young age. She’s had a tough time, but, um, she’s definitely learned lessons quicker than me."

Santana: "It’s interesting talking about parenting me, because my experiences and her experiences are very similar. I definitely haven’t had a perfect life."

Lisa: "She has turned for the good and she’s a really good girl, and I’ve had to realize that because I really worry about her and stuff. But, I’m proud of her — she does really well. Here comes the tears! She just received a position as firefighter provincial officer."

Santana: "The most valuable thing mom’s gifted me is [the advice] 'follow your dreams, no matter what — or whatever bump in the road it might be.' I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter. Being a firefighter also plays a big role. Just learning to deal with tragedies that have happened in my community."

Lisa: "I’m still learning. But everything that I learn, I hope that the girls are listening and taking in whatever experience and wisdom I got to offer them. To always try and think positive instead of letting the negative bring you down. To not judge and accept everyone for who they are. That we’re all one. Even though I don’t think I’m getting through to my girls, I know I am."

The Art of Parenting offers an intimate conversation with some of the most memorable families featured in the CBC Kids broadcast series The Art Show. The parents speak candidly and emotionally about how their own history, upbringing, belief system and circumstances that have influenced their parenting style and resulted in the raising of some truly phenomenal kids.