Back to School – Growth and Change

· · · ·

The first day of school always brings such excitement!  This year these two are both attending new schools for the first time; Dillon his first day of high school and Carly Jo her first day of Intermediate. The challenges are different and the days will be a little longer but I’m confident the teachers who have impacted these two thus far have prepared them both so well. Carly was most worried about having to “be so responsible” which makes me laugh because she has only been 16 since she was 2!   Dillon, well, if he is worried about anything I wouldn’t know!  He is so laid back and thankfully is a morning person who is up and ready long before he needs to be at 6:30am football.  
The beginning of school brings it’s own challenges for us moms too!  Sure there are the crazy activity schedules and lunches to prepare for but I mean the real challenges. Every year I feel like my kids change just enough on the first day of school to keep me on my toes.  Should I ask more questions? Should I just let them chill?  Do they like their teachers? Do they have friends?  Is the silence just part of their personality or is something wrong?  You would think after raising two kids who have been pretty darn successful I would know it all right?  But they just keep throwing me off with their damn differences!  
I think we all just want our kids to have the most fulfilled, drama free life possible right?  Right now mine are in a comfortable place but I know at any moment that could be thrown off by a broken heart, a circle of trust that is no longer safe or just plain old peer pressure.  I know that satan is right there waiting for my kids to fall and it scares the tar out of me. Protecting them is not always possible and there will be problems I cannot solve.  Controlling their every move is just a setup for future disaster.

Scared yet?  So what can we do as parents as they move through all this change?  We can learn to listen more and talk less.  We can learn to not carry every little silence on our sleeve like some direct rejection.  We can hope our example of leadership and our ability to give grace is seen even if it is not immediately noted.  We can love them fiercely without smothering.  We can pray for guidance and for direction to help them lead the lives God has planned for THEM not the lives we are planning for them.

I am far from a perfect parent y’all.  The one thing I know is these kids have taught me way more than I have taught them.  I’m a better person every single day because every year I have been willing to change and grow the same as they have!  Accepting my imperfections has not been easy nor has accepting that what I perceive as their imperfections are sometimes only pieces of them that are different than me but in no way imperfect.

This is what I do know for a fact!  In five (very short) years you will look back and be astounded by the visible change in your life.  Seeing this picture today; I mean wow!   They have grown both physically, mentally and socially. One has moved on to his professional life and two are wearing glasses.  One was already out on her own not by then and now has 4 years of a professional career under her belt!  I’m so proud of all of us!  

They have taught me that change doesn’t necessarily mean endings but new beginnings.  Most of all they have taught me that accepting each others differences may not be easy but it is possible.  If you have ever read Daring Greatly by Brene Brock you will recognize this quote.  It is so very true!

“If we want our children to love and accept who they are, our job is to love and accept who we are.”

Embrace the change and love who you are today!

Whew!  I seriously sat down here tonight to share a back to school picture and my heart just opened right up.  Hope this touches a heart today as so many are experiencing these changes in many different ways.

Click the image for all my faves!  
Let’s Get Social