Hard Lessons in Life

Most mothers assume that their babies will be the perfect babies found in the magazines, and children will grow up like flowers in a garden.

We wishfully dream of them going from the cradle to adulthood as perfect human beings where we all will live happily ever after.

For some parents, dreams can be rudely interrupted when you have to deal with the unsuspecting realities of life and fears you never knew existed as your beautiful plans quickly evolves into a living nightmare.

Someone said, “There are two gifts we should give our children; one is roots, and the other is wings.”

But what if you have given them everything they needed to succeed in life … and their choices have damaged their wings?

It’s painful to watch someone with great potential lose their direction. Wings are not only for birds, they are also for minds. A person who has no dreams has no wings.

It’s a natural maternal instinct to want to repair your child’s broken wings (dreams) … but there comes a time when letting go is the best healthy option for everyone in the family because they are now adults.

What’s next? Hold on to your Superhero powers and resist the urge to ease the consequences. As traumatic as it may be to watch them go down the slippery slope, experience remains the best teacher.

No child is a bad child, it’s their behavior that’s bad.

A parent will always love their child, but will never agree with their bad choices. Setting boundaries is a sign of mutual respect that if they cross over… they are on their own, and you are not coming to rescue them.

We should absolutely make ourselves available to listen if they need to talk … but we must stand our ground in not becoming an enabler.

Give your adult child a fish, they will have dinner for the night. Let them learn to fish and they will have a life … and hopefully they will never go hungry.

I can assure you that it’s never an easy decision to let go, but you must remember that you are not in a popularity contest. Be prepared for your child to reject you. Pray-fully he or she will most likely come around later.

The only money giving should be invested in therapy and counselling. Bad choices don’t require financial support…it’s professional help they need.

We don’t get to choose our children, they are God’s gifts to us. He will always make Himself available to teach us how to dismantle the forces of darkness that surrounds our children. God gives grace to the family that relies on His wisdom and His instructions.

God can heal anyone that’s broken, we just need to give Him all the pieces. When you can’t say it in words, He hears our hearts. I’ve found that there are times God doesn’t change a situation because He’s using the said situation to change us.

To everything there’s a season. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to speak and a time to be silent. I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. And God does it, that we shall fear Him.

God’s got you and everyone that concerns you.