Parenting When They Are Leaving

(sidenote: I wrote this many years ago but it seems timely)

Proverbs 22:6 6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

A thousand things go through your young mind when that baby is born. Will I be a good Mom, will her Dad be a great example to her when she grows up? Will she dance on his feet to learn how? Will she look like my Mom? Will I be there for her wedding? What do I feed her? What does that cry mean? Is there too many times you can bathe a baby? What is she thinking? What will her voice sound like when she says “Momma” for the first time?

Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost.

When they begin school. Now they have new external experiences and external influences. How do we keep them from going ‘wheels off’? My daughter was in second grade when she came home and told me there was a reading assignment in class that day. Her Teacher said pair up and read with your partner this book. Twenty-two times she asked if she could partner up and TWENTY-TWO times she was told - no. (my kid was perfect, yet bossy, so why did these little so-and-so’s not want to read with her?) wait – did you read that right TWENTY-TWO! As she is telling me this my heart was breaking and I had to turn my head so she could not see the tears welling up in my eyes. I hurt for this very hard lesson she was learning. Teacher told her, “Sam, you have to BE a friend to HAVE a friend”. Greatest words I heard all that year and for many years to come. Thank God for that kind of influence.

6 Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

It’s time to date, will she find someone wonderful? Oh I hope so. Having raised her as a single Mom, will the Dad influence (or lack of) cause her to seek out the wrong types of men? Will she look for someone like the guy who we hear about on the news – in jail for abuse, or will she listen to the people at church when they talk about Good Godly Men? I have poured in to her and I have placed her in the path of some good Godly men and I just have to pray she was paying attention.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

She’s graduating and now she will go off to college. My house will be quiet and I will take on a different role now. I won’t be Mom: taxi, bank, advisor, room Mom, Hall monitor, teach you to cook, do laundry, balance a check book and more. I will now move in to the position I hold with my parents – friend. That’s perfectly fine.

Yes God, I do trust You to bury Your word in her heart. I do trust that she will follow You always. God I am thankful for the blessings in mine and my own daughters life. Thank You for letting her learn lessons and then for bringing amazing people in to her life. Thank You for being in the drivers seat when she picked her partner for life, because he IS a good Godly man. God I just ask that anyone reading this with children off to college, remember the thread throughout this devotional. Train up a child in the way they should go and when they get older they will not depart from it. Thank You for looking after our children. Thank You for allowing us to be their earth parents. In Jesus Name - Amen