Monday, April 1, 2013

Meeting

Consistency is the hardest part of parenting. We set out with good plans to raise our kids, but parenting doesn't work in theory alone. It takes action. It takes day after day, month after month, year after year persistence toward a goal. The hoped for prize at the end is an adult child who holds the values you believe are important, is independent, self reliant, and just plain good. I recognize that even the parents who are diligent in teaching their children those practices they believe are good are still raising unique individuals who have free agency, and sometimes their children choose to go against what they have been taught. However, a parent who has been a consistent and diligent parent has fewer regrets than those who have not. And when you send a child out into the world who has made good choices so far, parents have a sense of peace that they have done all that was in their power to do.

At the beginning of every school year, He meets with each child individually. He asks them if they have anything they are concerned about in their lives, if they are dealing with any problems, and if there is anything that He can help them with. He also brings up any concerns that either one of us have. He reiterates the importance of the values we have tried to teach them, and addresses any problem areas they are struggling with. He stresses that they can bring any concern they might have to us and we will help them without question. He emphasizes the importance of being part of a family, and how they are a part of a whole. He tells them of the things we have noticed about them that we are proud of. He leaves them with the knowledge that we love them unconditionally and always will.

He does this consistently every year. It has proven to be valuable to our family. These meetings have stopped problems before they became too big to backtrack. They have given us insight into how our children think we could be better parents. They have created a dialog between parents and children, parent and parent, and child and child. The kids have come to look forward to this meeting. There have been times when they even asked when they were going to have their meeting (just in case He forgot). We have a child in High School, children in college, and a married child, and He still meets with each one of them (even our son-in-law), at the beginning of each school year. These meetings let each child know that He loves them, is watching out for them, and that He is there for them if they need Him. He takes His parenting responsibilities seriously.

He is consistent...

...one more reason I love Him.

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