The devil rears his ugly head, and I let him have the controls for a brief moment, and I blurt out, “You drive me crazy! UGH! Teenagers suck!”
I huff and I puff and then in a blink, I see my young man hang his head and stomp off out of the room.
This is not my most defining parenting moment. And most assuredly, not my best Christian mama moment.
I berate myself with thoughts like these,
“Would you like someone to talk to you like that?”
“Good job mom, now he really hates you!”
“You, by far, are the worst mother in the entire world.”
I let a moment of emotions override everything I am trying to do. I want this young man to love me, so why in the world do I treat him like this?! How will he ever find the right girl if all he hears is my negativity in his head?
This parenting gig is really hard. These kiddos do not come with an instructions manual but they do come with a big heart that requires great care. I’m still learning this in my own life. And as
you can see, I still make some serious mistakes.
But I am not perfect and I know that my God loves me regardless and tomorrow is a new day. And by some wonderful and divine providence, God allows His mercies to begin again each morning.
So, apologize. And really, really mean it. By owning up to my mistakes and telling this young man-boy I have, he sees that being honest and asking forgiveness is the right thing to do. Yes, words are not to be said without con thought first, but alas, I am human and I must learn to take responsibility for my mistakes. That too is important to show these kiddos of ours.
I also want to share that I am in the midst of a new book review from Dr. James D. Dempsey called Parenting Unchained
This is a little of what the book is about:
In Parenting Unchained – Overcoming the Ten Deceptions that Shackle Christian Parents, Dr. James D. Dempsey reveals the ten most destructive lies about parenting. He writes from the heart about the way these lies infected his own parenting, and illuminates the Bible’s powerful truths that counter each lie. Both Biblical and practical, each section ends with home activities to help parents take immediate steps to develop their kids’ character–character that lasts when they leave home.
The last chapters focus on the most important adjustments parents must make with teenagers to prepare them for independence. Weaving humor into strong warnings, Parenting Unchained points out the hazards that derail the parenting journey.
Keep your eyes peeled for more tidbits of goodness from this book. I will keep you updated with my progress.
In His Grace.
Callie
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How sweet is that!? What a good daughter 🙂 Thank you for taking a moment to read this short post and also, thank you for the encouragement you have provided in your book. I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to bring this book to many other mamas and daddies that might need it too!
Hi Callie,
Thanks for this initial report on my book. I’ve said a few things I regretted over the years, so I identify with your post. My daughter went looking for my new website and found your blog in the search, so she sent a link to it to me (she’s 29.) That was cool.