I was recently talking to some older parents whose children in their late teens and early twenties have made some rough choices in life. All the sudden whether or not my kids can go play in the creek or whether someone peed their pants seems pretty small. I am thankful God leads us into parenting step by step but I do want to learn NOW some of this whole "letting go" thing. The older parents I talked to handled things with such love and grace and did not wear their kids decisions as their own...which impressed me. I think that is half the battle. When one of my children growls at a man in the grocery store or another kid throws a fit at church or yet another child of mine whines loudly through the aisles at Darrenkamps crying "You never let me get anything I want!".... I can tend to overreact because I want everyone around me to think I am a "good" mom and I have well behaved children who always listen and obey! HA!
So I am thankful for the stage I am in...and yet I know by the time that next stage comes I will be ready for it too. I remember watching my sister in law with her four kids and my one and wondering how in the world she does it but yet here I am... and all the noise and kids and toys that I remember at her house is now my house. So I am sure when the teenage years roll around I will be ready to embrace them and will also probably be running to Naomi for some advice because Judah is a great role model for his younger cousins!
So remind me of this while in the midst of potty training and tantrums and legos on the carpet and crumbs on the floor... that I am right where I am supposed to be. Freedom will come before I know it along with a whole new set of challenges...so I will enjoy the challenge of today!
These pictures were taken Sunday evening on our little excursion into Lancaster City to Carmen and David's ice cream shop and Binn's Park. Mark took hundreds of pictures that night so it was hard to narrow down just a few....but I picked these because I felt they represented my kids "TODAY" in this season of life and they made me smile!
"When your kids are little you pray that they would just fall asleep every night.
But when they are teengagers you pray that they would come home every night."
-quote from an older mom in the aisle at Kmart-
4 comments:
Thanks for that post! This morning we drove by the school Allen will probably attend in 2012 -- and I felt really overwhelmed! Thanks for the advice to enjoy today & it's challenges! :) The pictures are fantastic, a few of them made me laugh out loud! :)
yep. echo ang. great post. for me. it is my reality to realize this is the easiest my life is going to get for awhile. i dread the time in life when i won't be able to control or shelter or effectively punish, for that matter. :) here's to mothering. :) mis.
ahh, heather...what a sweet time it is in that stage of life. i don't think i realized it as much with my own kids but now having raeanne i am constantly thinking of how fast time flies and i want to have permanent pictures in my mind of these moments. time is just as sweet in the teenage land, just different. judah and i were texting last night and then again around 7 am. the means of communication just change a little, and myself right along with it......if i want to keep up with the kid. thanks for loving on my boy...he's having a great time....
naomi
Remember the book "Let me Hold you a little Longer" !
Post a Comment