going deeper
Preparing your kids (and yourself) for the school year
By: Blanca
It's back-to-school time! A season for shopping, tears (happy or sad depending on your child's age), and lots and lots of prayer! If you're like me, I'm hoping for a “perfect” school year for my kids this year, one without drama, straight "A's", and friends who are the next Albert Einstein's and Mother Theresa's of the world. Okay -so maybe my hopes are little high!
Most importantly, I pray for safety over my children. I pray for wisdom for them to make the right choices when I can’t be there. I pray that I can be the leader (and cheerleader) they need to help them grow in all areas of life not just academics, but in all the other stuff that matters too.
I imagine during the school year is when every parent drops to their knees and prays “God, please help me to not mess this up.” We get off work tired and stressed out yet somehow find the time and energy to pick up the kids from school, take them to practice on some days, rush home and get something close to real food on the table and just when you think you’ll get a break, then there’s homework! Yeah, don’t get me started on homework!
But despite our overloaded schedules, there is hope. I find from personal experience that simply praying for my children every night gives me a sense of peace and comfort. Even if I mess up as a parent, through prayer, I trust that God will somehow “fill-in” the gaps. Come to think of it, I’d prefer it that way; less of me and more of Him!
This school year, I am taking the pressure off myself to raise a “perfect, straight ‘A’” children (although it won’t hurt if it happens); instead, I will make my perfect effort to prepare their heart, to love, forgive, and be kind. Hey, I’d take a “C” student that shares his lunch with someone over an “A” student that walks past a need anytime.
Oh, and for that mom crying in her Cheerios that her baby is leaving for college this year, I don’t know what it feels like yet, but from one mama’s heart to another, please feel a big, tight hug coming from me around you right now! :)