Raising Adults

Hey Parents,

A Friday thought for you....

Raising Adults
You've been through it again in the last two months.  A school year has begun, and you've likely played the "I can't believe he/she is in grade _________" looped tape in your head for at least a short season.

It doesn't matter whether it's preschool, or middle school, or graduate school, most of us find the fall to be a sobering reminder that another year has slipped by.  Maybe you experienced it when you drove your 15-year-old to their first day of 10th grade or maybe you just sent your 18-year old off to college.

Here's the question:  How do you feel in that moment?

I know I've felt a creeping sadness - a sense that time is moving too quickly.  Which is a bit of a reversal isn't it?  We seem to celebrate every milestone in their first few years (first smile, learning to crawl, first step, first words, etc.) but then we begin to resist the fact that they're growing up.

Why is that?

I can't remember who said it, but someone pointed out that while we speak about raising children, we're actually not doing that.  We're raising adults.

The goal of parenting is to prepare your children for life.  To move them into a place where they have the worldview, skills, faith and heart to face life on their own.  To release adults, not children.

It seems a lot of times parents seem to miss the reality that their children need to become independent.  If we're not careful, our kids move into life not ready to face its challenges and complexities, nor often is their faith large enough to integrate into life on their own.

So think about that.....we're actually raising adults, not kids.

See your sweet little 3-year-old over there?  That an adult you're raising.  Your 10-year-old?  In 8-10 years, he's pretty much grown up.

When we realize that we're raising adults, we remember that the goal is not for us to hang onto every fleeting moment of their youth, but to prepare them for the life for which God has created them.

Have a great weekend!

Heffe