Parenting Panic
Well, her teachers thought this was hysterical. They beat Ellie to me with the story. My response? In a panic I blurted out "We don't eat there all the time! Why would she say that?!" I spent the drive home wondering if I should have explained more. It is, after all, the only place with a drive-thru and Zach-friendly foods ...
Me thinks the lady doth protest too much. No, we don't eat at Burger King all the time, but who cares if we do? Why am I so afraid of what other people think?
Since becoming a school mom, I've discovered how paranoid I can be. I am constantly worried they'll think I'm a bad mom or they'll misinterpret Ellie's precocious statements and turn me into child protection services. I worry I'll lose my kids, my reputation, my life.
For the first time, I am entrusting my child into the care of others on a regular basis. This is more than Sunday School or babysitting. This is handing her over and trusting those "others" to teach her the right things. And still it's more than that. I'm trusting myself to these others as well. I'm believing these people who I barely know want to help me raise and train this child God has given me.
The Lost fan in me continues to protest: Never trust an Other. Scripture reminds me I must.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” • Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)
Rick and I prayed long and hard about where to send Ellie to school. By not trusting her teachers, at least a little; by not trusting our choice of school, I'm not trusting God. I'm not following His lead, but instead trusting in my own understanding. Depending on my paranoia to be accurate and my defenses strong enough.
God wants us to trust HIM, not ourselves. Sometimes trusting Him means trusting others. I need to relax knowing Ellie's teachers delight in her as much as I do. I need to calm down and stop freaking out every time talk to me or ask me a question. They are not out to get me. I need to trust God and rest in the knowledge of His sovereignty.
As parents we tend to think everything is a big deal. Are they walking at the right time? Are they getting enough sleep? Why aren't they following the model given in the book? Do I need to call a speech therapist? What we forget is that our God, the Source of all knowledge and power, is in charge of every detail. How big do they look when sitting in the palm of His hand?
Labels: God's sovereignty, school, trust
6 Comments:
How funny. And I do understand. Here's one for you. We used to live down the street from a little girl whose father hit her mother and was gone a lot. She confided in Shelby (my middle daughter) all that had happened.
That week the kids were asked to write a story. Shelby wrote about a little sad girl, whose father hit her mother and who wanted to run away from home for fear of her father and live with the horses.
She came home and said, "Guess what dad? I wrote this story and the teacher LOVED it. She liked it so much she showed it to the principle and the counselor. And they all called me to the office to talk to me about it. Isn't that GREAT?
"Wow," I said. Let me read it. She handed me the piece. I almost fainted when I read it. Obviously they wondered if I was that father. Took a little explaining.
So see, your incident is nothing much. Just wait. ;-)
Wow! That did absolutely nothing to calm me down. Thank you! :)
Seriously, your have a horrible story!! I think I would faint dead-away and then determine to preschool my children for the rest of their lives.
Once again ... wow.
Here's one for ya. While waiting in the crowded Walmart Pharmacy, my oldest daughter (four at the time)was bumping in to all sorts of people. I said, "Come sit down with me and we can talk."
She said, "Okay. Well, Mamma, I just don't like it when you hit and yell and scream and pinch me all the time."
WHAT?! :0
Of course that got EVERYONE'S attention! They all watched and waited for my response.
I could have argued with her, but I was afraid she would blurt out other untrue things about me. I could have placed my hand over her mouth and told her to be quiet, but that would have made me look guilty. I just laughed. In a few seconds others standing around began to laugh too.
When we got to the car, I told her how she shouldn't say things about people that are not true. When I asked her why she said those things, she shrugged her shoulders, grinned and said, "I don't know."
Tanya, it just keeps getting better. :) Enjoy!
Join the club. All we mamas are like that. We're paranoid about one thing or another. It's just different what.
Long time no talk to. Hope you are well. I see that you are!
Tanya, I am so sorry but your story made me laugh. And I know, I know - my time is coming! But friend, I think we have very similar personalities - which is why your blog always speaks to me in a special way.
Resting in His sovereignty - a beautiful thing - sometimes so hard for me to do.
Thank you!
That was at the top of the list of most terrifying things for me when my kids were little: fearing that my kids would be taken away from me because of some freaky "government" thing. I was always afraid for their health. And yes, what other people advised was ever-present. I am stubborn enough never to give in to what others think is right, against my own gut instincts--BUT it doesn't mean I'm not hurt by what they advise against my own heart, I am. I just do what I think anyway.
Now, however, the "scary" things over my kids lives are actually bigger than these things. It's why children are born small! If you weather these things, you'll have the level of grace you'll need to mount up to the bigger things, namely, adolescence, and your kids' adult choices!!!
We MUST look to God and God alone in raising our children; He made them, and, He Himself is the perfect Parent.
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