May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13
Last week my youngest daughter and I went to her kindergarten orientation. I smiled as I excitedly led her into the school, assuring her that everything would be great.
But while I put on a good front for her, I knew something was wrong. I am not supposed to be a mom whose kids all go to school. My kids are babies who stay home with me so we can play at the park, watch cartoons, and go to gymnastics class in the middle of the day. Sending my angels out the door every morning just doesn’t work for me.
I know I love being with my kids and will miss them when they are both in school, but I think my apprehension is more than that. Perhaps I am afraid of missing too much of their lives. Maybe I am jealous of the teachers who will witness the “firsts” that I will miss. What’s more, with every passing year, friends become more interesting than parents and I don’t like the idea of being replaced.
Maybe my daughter will go through a rotten stage over the summer and I will want her to go to school, but somehow I doubt that will happen. I simply have to trust God to build on the strong family relationships we have already created, and believe that He will maintain those even when I can’t be there. He will remind me to tuck little notes into her backpack, and to make sure we have free time to play together after school.
And as she launches into a new phase of life, so do I. I look forward to discovering how God has prepared us both for our new adventure.
How do you handle your child’s growing independence?
2 comments:
Dianne, I only have one,so I soak up every "first." It is such a precious time between home and kindergarten. Having watched you with your littlest one at WFTJ, I can see what a beautiful, loving and easy bond you have with her. I will pray that as she steps out in her "first" for school, your "first" with no kids at home will be just as courageous and adventurous. God leads us to new stages with lots and lots of grace!
Dianne -
It's a continual process. Our children are grown and we still celebrate firsts in their life: First great job, first new car, first pet, first child, first...
And when they grow up, you just have less control and do a lot more praying.
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