MOMENTARY GLIMPSES OF HOPE

Last week I had the opportunity to go to a conference in Dallas.  The conference was from Sunday evening to Saturday noon, and while it was AMAZING - it was "heads down" busy for the entire time.  That left very little opportunity to check in with the family.  For the first time since we became parents, my darling hubby was the solo parent with all three kids at home for a week.

And, the kids stepped up.  They helped their dad, and kept the house running smoothly.  He did have to, um, "remind" them a few times to pitch in and help - but, they did it.  All of it.  They even had a cook-out for the neighborhood in the back yard that dad and the kids planned and executed all without my guidance.  

It is refreshing!  Hubby and I are seeing more frequent glimpses of hope from our children as they are maturing.  All three of them are teenagers - with all the teenage baggage that goes along with it.  But, in the bigger picture, they are pretty good kids.  They don't always make the perfect choices, and there are still plenty of "learning opportunities", but overall….I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We're starting to turn a corner from my hubby and I having to be the parent all the time to starting to become more of a friend.

I see parents of young children trying to be their children's friend much too soon.  RESIST THE URGE!  The time is not right… you have to be the parent.  They already have plenty of friends.  They need a parent.  Someone willing to be mean - and by that I mean "you MEAN what you say".  But, the persistence pays off. They will learn to do what you tell them, and follow instructions, and be good humans ready to contribute to society.  Someday.

My kids and hubby were happy to have me return, but I can see that it made them all walk a little taller knowing that they could handle running the house without me directing it all the time.  It might not have been exactly the way mom would have done it, but it worked for them and no one was injured.  No damage done.

This week I'm seeing my kids in action at our church's Vacation Bible School.  They are all old enough now that they are the teachers/leaders/helpers - not the ones attending, but the ones making a difference in lives of others.  Those younger than them.  And, they are having a BLAST!  What a cool feeling as a parent to see, that at least for a momentary glimpse, there is hope.  I love those moments of feeling like they get it - they were listening, they learned from my teaching.

And, then I have to ignore the fact that they may bicker as soon as they get home again and that they just left all their stuff laying all over the floor.  That's a lesson for later.  Just enjoy the moment as it happens.