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Parenting
is a Tough Job Being a parent is not easy. As I pulled into the driveway, I was looking forward to a warm home, the happy chatter of children maybe even the tempting smell of dinner cooking. Grabbing a couple bags of groceries, I headed for the front door. Only a few steps from the entrance I could them, my precious children. Voices raised, accusing one another of any number of petty offences. I was sorely tempted to turn tail and run back to the van! But being the responsible (accountable) mother that I am, I forged on and opened the door to the chaos inside. Not only were my ears assaulted, my nose was, too. Something was burning, and children were waving towels around the smoking room. My eldest daughter informed me something spilled on the bottom of the oven but there wasn’t anything on fire. Meanwhile a couple of sons were expecting me to be the referee for their battle of wills. The youngest wondered what I had bought, and when would dinner be ready? When I looked around the toy and clothes strewn living room, I was ready to explode. What was wrong with these kids? Couldn’t they just get along for once? Why wouldn’t they do their chores without nagging for a change? What kind of a family was I raising? In the matter of minutes I had gone form a confident adult to a tightly wound coil of tension. Does this sound somewhat familiar to you? Of course, not every afternoon ends up like this. Some roll along quite smoothly, routines followed with little resistance, chores and homework done, peace and harmony reign. These are the days when the future looks bright. The beaming faces of my young brood seem so full of promise and there is sweetness about our time spent together. Ahhh… It is easy to be positive when there’s no one questioning your authority, pushing your buttons, railing against an unfair world, or bullying their siblings and them telling you, you treat the other kids better. Sometimes it’s tempting to blurt out, "I hope you get a kid just like you!" Sometimes it’s such a challenge to be mature. Sometimes it’s not easy to bite your tongue, control your anger, and rise above the grief that is a part of raising a family. And no one is passing out awards – although sometimes I wish they would! Imagine: "To the father who didn’t crack open his son’s head when he was caught sneaking in past curfew" "To the woman who didn’t erupt into tears when her daughter yelled that she wished she had a different mother" "To the parents who didn’t get a divorce after their three year old wet the middle of their bed yet again" Oh, I know there are so many times we all deserve them! We need to remind ourselves, that God is watching and promises to reward us (not so easy to do under stress, I know). Exodus 20:12 RSV states Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you. How many of us wish our kids would try that more often? Perhaps the most valid understanding of the fifth commandment is realized when we face the challenge of raising our own children. You’ll notice that it is immediately followed by "You shall not kill" in verse 13. This is a very necessary instruction for a weary parent who has been challenged by a smug sixteen year old at eleven pm! It seems liker what we try to teach them goes in one ear and out the other at times, doesn’t it? So we ask ourselves: "have I failed? Where did I go wrong? Am I too strict? Too lenient? What if I had said this or that? What is God thinking of me, now?" As long as you are truly giving your best effort to child-rearing, God is giving you the opportunity to get better at it. He knows we won’t always get it right, just like we know our kids won’t either. I am reminded of Jesus’ command to His disciples to "suffer the children". Now there’s a God who knows what we’re going through! The character being developed is not only in the kids, it is in us as parents, too. If we pray to our Heavenly Father for the patience, wisdom and ability to be the parents our children need, He will surely hear us and help us fulfill our roles. So, Kudos to all you parents! Don’t give up; raising a family really is a tough job!
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