May 26, 2006
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Honoring the Child
Before Ron and I dropped
I think it is important that parents give love and respect to the child because the child is a guest from the unknown. She is a child of God. God only lends her to us and God can take her back anytime God wants. So we have to be respectful of God’s child who is our guest. As parents, one way we can show the child love and respect is to give her the freedom, life, and uniqueness she deserves to grow. We can do this by allowing her to be herself what ever that means, accepting her as her natural self wherever it leads.
Another way we can help her is to remain open to the unknown future. We can help her be a seeker, and not a knower or a believer because beliefs stop all search and inquiry. Seeking, searching, inquiring will be her religion. We can help by sharing our experience with her, but not force her to be like us or reproduce carbon copies of ourselves because she is an original, a unique being.
Comments (17)
Great post chi., an interesting perpective which I have not thought about. Have a good long weekend chi..
Since my children were little, I’ve made a point of touching or hugging them often and telling them I love them every day. My daughter is 20 and in college. My son is 21, emotionally challenged, and remains childlike in his somewhat obsessive approach to the world. My most difficult challenge as a parent has been giving them both the trust and freedom they need to grow and become who they choose to be. I will often state my opinion about a choice they are making, but I try to keep it strictly as an opinion, leaving the ultimate choice to them. I also try to never have an “I Told You So” attitude if their choice did not turn out as planned. They need the freedom to have their own successes and to make their own mistakes. Throughout the years I’ve shared stories of mistakes I’ve made while growing up. There were lots to tell about, I assure you. I want them to know that those are part of the growth process. That they aren’t alone in making them. And it doesn’t mean they’re stupid or not as good as others.
I think for the most part my husband and I have been good parents. Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but good.
What a great post. Your daughter choose wisely. Glad to see you got over your writers block!
This is beautiful Trimtab, Judi
I’m glad Chelsea picked us too! Now Travis….
Enjoy your long weekend…
A wonderful message
This is actually something me and my two good friends talked about my last day at Bing; we were perplexed and astounded at the idea of being a parent. It’s not something you know how to do, learn about, or predict…you just do it. It’s your child, not to imply possession, but merely to point out its forthbringing from you. It is something that you and your opposite sex partner created. Even thinking about it now, it’s very perplexing.
I always have reminded my Spouse, that the children are little PEOPLE–and to treat them as he would someone in his workplace. Just like any other person, they deserve respect and love and kind treatment. Even more than that, they are a part of us! We should honor the gift God gave us, thru our own selves. It is the biggest blessings of my lifetime, I know. I love them as a bit of heaven, the best part of myself, and hold them up overhead to give them purchase to the next plateou.
May they be better than me.
You seem to honor those things too, about your daughter. I’m glad for that.
ryc: thanks for the birthday wish
Have a good weekend
That’s a beautiful way to look at your children and life.
Have a great weekend girl!
Your daughter is lucky to have chosen you. I am very heartened that choose to raise her as a seeker.
What a great post!! Hope all is well, and just wanted to say Hi!!!
hi! this post reminded me of a conversation i had with my husband when my oldest was first born. i mentioned how having a child is like borrowed time. children are not ours to keep but for us to cherish, enjoy & encourage. honoring the child & treating him/her like a guest …. i like that!
have a great week!!!!
It is such an awesome responsibility to raise a child.
Hope you had a blessed weekend with your family, Judi