What a beautiful time of year we are in!
The month of April holds a very special place in my heart. Not only is it my parents’ wedding anniversary month, April is also the month I met and began dating my husband (11 years ago) as well as the month my first-born son entered the world. Along with hosting the birthdays of 3 of the grandparents in my life.
April is a time of new beginnings. There is so much new life popping up every day! I think the grass grows greener over night and the trees are starting to put out leaf buds. The hope and excitement of a chance to start everything over can’t help but be felt.
For my little family this is truly a blessing as we have recently walked through some difficult times. Praise God for His provision, faithfulness and enduring love!
As I mentioned before, my oldest son’s birthday is this month, he is turning 10 years old! In honor of him hitting the double digits, I have chosen to write a little about him and my experience of parenting him through the early years and now learning to let go as we enter this new phase of life.
My husband and I had a whirlwind romance.For more details about our beautiful love story click here.
I can’t say we planned to have a kid nine months after marrying but, looking back now, I wouldn’t change it for the world!
Orren Maverick made his appearance on a cloudy Sunday evening. Weighing in at 9lbs 7oz, he was quite the chunk for a first baby! Right away we knew there was something special and different about our little bundle of joy. Even as a newborn he seemed to be able to understand what we were saying and doing on a higher level.
I always say, I was a baby raising a baby and we grew up together.
Suffice it to say, Orren is my little buddy. He is my right hand man and one of my biggest fans. I love all of my children equally but my relationship with him is different. I am truly so honored the Lord chose me to be his mother.
The past year or so, I have started to realize that we have moved out of the little kid phase and into a new, unexplored territory of starting to let go.
I know all you moms with teenagers and grown children are laughing at my mourning of this time as my oldest turns 10, but it starts somewhere, ya know?
The more independent he (and all my kids) grow, the more I feel that loss of control and loss of my child but I also feel like I am gaining a friend.
The scripture tells us to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Our time with our littles is SO vital to their adult life. As they grow up it is no less important but we have to be adaptable as we ask for the Lord’s guidance in transitioning through adolescence and all that brings with it. We no longer pick out their clothes (even if we feel like we should at times). My kids are starting to cook a lot and they like to have a say in grocery shopping and meal planning. They now have projects, roles and responsibilities they have taken on in different parts of life.
One area that I have seen my 2 oldest grow in that makes me so very excited and thankful, is spiritually. My boys are starting to form their own study habits and prayer life. There is truly nothing that makes me happier than to see them embracing their own relationship with our Lord outside of mom and dad’s.
As I reflect on our parenting, I picked out a few ideas I felt were beneficial in the letting go process with our kids.
Give Them Responsibilities
This is easy to do on a farm because there are so many things to be done! Everything from gathering eggs to driving a tractor. However, for those who don’t have those options, housework is a great place to start.
When you give a child responsibility you help them to feel valued. They now see themselves as a very important and valuable member of the family.
Another thing we do is have each of our kids plan and prepare a meal each week. They absolutely LOVE this job. They learn so many valuable skills and have fun while serving others.
Have Fun!
Try to assign some responsibilities they can have fun with. We are all too aware that chores and housework are not always the most fun things to do. But most of us have certain tasks that are more enjoyable than others. Some things can even be downright fun! Well, kids are no different. I have one kiddo that loves to clean bathtubs and another that enjoys washing windows. I try to take that knowledge into consideration when assigning jobs.
Model and Provide Time
My final and most important point is to provide time for them to grow spiritually. When they are small that means you reading and praying together but as they mature that starts to look quite different. Allowing them to see you reading and studying as well as hear you praying is the best thing you can do.
Beyond that, carving out time for them to be able to cultivate their relationship with God by praying, journaling, studying and reading or listening to scripture is an awesome way to teach them the importance and the how-to of walking the Christian walk.
My parents have a saying that makes more and more sense the older I get. They would say a parents job is to work themselves out of a job. I know I am in the very beginning phase of learning to let go but I hope some of these ideas will be helpful to you as you strive to bring your children up in a godly manner.
Meet Mollie
Mollie is a lover of Jesus above all. She loves her husband and family and enjoys gardening, teaching, piano, riding, and farming. She lives in SW Colorado with her husband and five kids.