Pondering Parenthood

Someone might have told me, when I was 24 and preparing to bring my first baby home from the hospital, that I would never again be the same person. Someone might have told me that the momentous event of childbirth I had just experienced was minor in comparison to the joys, the tears, the fears, the pride, the struggles and the triumphs of the years ahead. But I don't think anyone told me that there was no end to parenthood; that I had just signed up for a job from which I would never retire. If someone had told me all of this, would I still have signed up? Yes! Without a doubt.

A parent's role just keeps changing. In the beginning we are the 24-7 caretakers. Then, before we know it, the child begins exercising some independence. And, if we do our job properly, eventually the child matures and steps out into the world prepared to take care of himself 24-7. Aaaah - NOW is it time to retire from parenthood? No way!

Now is the time to pray harder than ever before. Now is the time to be there. Just BE there. Now is the time to watch, with pride and with a bit of fear, the unfolding of a mature life that is, hopefully, stronger and wiser than we were at that age. Now is the time to listen and encourage. Now is the time to give advice ONLY when asked. Now is the time to thank God for the tremendous growth of the little seed of faith that we planted and watered for 18 years.

And now may be the time in life to learn from our children, to be encouraged by our children, and to rejoice in the realization that the world is a better place because our children are in it; to watch our children walk through trials with confidence and faith - more confidence and stronger faith than we had at their age - and come through them, by the grace of God, triumphant.

One of Those Days

My daughter-in-law, Kelsey, had "one of those days" on Thursday. One of those days that stretches a mother's patience and energy to the very limit. Sweetpea (who, by the way, is getting close to two years old) was testing her in a major way. I sympathized with Kelsey as I read the first part of her blog, but by the end, she had convinced herself, once again and without a doubt, that Sweetpea is a terrific kid, and that she loves, more than anything, being her full-time mama.

The year Chris was born, he was one of ten new babies born to our small church congregation of around 100 people! And we, the mothers, were a close-knit group. Since most of us were full-time moms, we all experienced days like Kelsey described on Thursday. I think days like those were what prompted us to devise a plan, whereby each one of us would have one child-free day every month. We put our names into a matrix, so that each month I, for instance, would babysit someone else's pre-school aged child(ren) for one day; and someone else would babysit mine for a day. It was up to each mother to arrange her day off. If she didn't make arrangements to use her day one month (that seldom happened), it was gone - no stockpiling. We didn't keep track of hours or number of kids. It was just a FREE DAY once a month for each mom. Not only did it give the moms a day off, but it gave the children two play days a month - one at their own home, and one at someone else's - with a variety of friends.

I wish I lived closer to Kelsey, so that I could give her a day off at least once a month. That would, indeed, be a two-way blessing!

Just look at this child. How could someone with a face like that be any trouble at all? And, by the way, have you noticed how tall she's getting?!

(Pictures by Kelsey)