Our Cherished Gifts

READY8 “All children are a gift from God.” Psalm 127:3 AIM8 Oh, what joyous gifts children are in our lives. It is so true. God gives us the miracle of another human being to care for, teach, nurture and love. My kids are getting older and I’m recognizing that it’s getting harder for me to let them grow up. Being a good parent is finding the ability to walk the fine line of holding on and letting go. When your children are young, they need lots of attention and direct care from you, their parents. As your child grows older, he needs the space to grow and the age-appropriate freedom to exercise his independence. Our job, as parents, is simply to monitor our child’s progress and manage the consequences of his or her choices. How else will she really learn the relationship of cause and effect? It’s like the baby birds who try to fly for the first time, but instead, fall straight to the ground right out of the nest. The mother birds nudge them and help them get up and try to fly again. Eventually, the baby bird puts it all together, figures it out and goes soaring off on his next adventure in the great, wide open world. As you love, teach, correct and nurture your children, be sure to recognize that your time with them is limited. Relish in every moment, silly antic, crazy memory, awful accident and cherished hug and kiss. Our job is to be responsible to raise well-adjusted, mature and capable, young men and women who are able to leave their parents and handle life on their own. Don’t fret if your kids don’t “need” you as they get older. See their independence as a reward that you have taught them well and have prepared them for the chaotic adventure ahead. Oh, and in the meantime, thank God for the blessing of your most cherished gifts, your children, and enjoy this crazy ride called parenting. FIRE!8 Plan to do something special with your children this weekend. You can have a family game night, watch a movie together (complete with popcorn and snacks,) go for a bike ride, meet for coffee, read stories together or simply make a phone call to chat and catch up on life. The time you invest in your children will be a true gift to them. Be Excellent! Lori