Have you ever felt that parenting is difficult? That somehow you are just on a treadmill with no end in sight and no clearly defined destination? I do, often. But then I remind myself of a key point that I discovered when Lainey at a parenting training seminar. A vital reminder that helped me keep my parenting goal in context.
We aren't raising children we are raising godly adults. Click To Tweet
Before I felt like so many plates were spinning, it was like my parenting was out of control. I knew I couldn’t keep them all spinning but wasn’t sure which ones I should let fall. This key point helped me decide which areas my focus and attention should centre on. As parents, we are not called to raise godly children; we are called to raise godly adults.
I now understand my goal in parenting. I’m not just here to provide a roof and food for my kids. My purpose isn’t just to educate but to develop my children’s character. My aim, and your aim, should be that the next generation will be godly, trustworthy, moral individuals in this world.
Through my parenting, I can see that I have an opportunity to change some of what I discern as being wrong in this world. I can reduce the injustice I see around me by leaving a legacy. By raising my children in a way that they become part of the solution rather than part of the problem for the next generation, the future can look brighter.
All of a sudden, my parenting has gone beyond providing a better childhood for my children than I had, to developing my children into being better people than I ever was. Now I have a goal and a context for my parenting. I also have a measure to see if I have succeeded as a parent.