Many of you have read posts by my wife, or me, describing the difficult year we have had as a family. “Difficult” would be an understatement. Traumatic or gut-wrenching might be more accurate. We have faced some things with a few of our children that have brought us to our knees. We are learning every single day what it means to trust God for everything. And I mean everything!
I love my iPhone. It’s sleek, trendy, and opens me up to a beautiful world of technology right at my finger tips. But the truth is, I love my iPhone because of how easy it makes my professional life. And, how quickly I can get things done while on the go.
They’ve been in my office more times than I can count- distraught parents of unruly teenagers who suddenly need discipline. They’re frustrated, confused, at a loss, and desperate for any ounce of help they can get. After listening to their stories of how their kid won’t listen to a thing they say, is defiant and out of control, or laughs in their face when they give an ultimatum, my conclusion is the same: you’re about a decade or more past due in making this shift!
If you’ve been a foster parent for any stretch of time, you’ve probably recognized something: you’re pretty much on your own, throughout the process, most of the time. Sure, you’ll get information via email, voice mails, and texts but, most of the people you encounter (judges, lawyers, case managers, etc.) really aren’t in your corner….at least, not normally!
This is a guest post by Aby League. She is a researcher with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and a contributing writer for Elite Daily. Check out her blog here and make sure you connect with her through Facebook and Twitter.
No, I’m not talking about a hip hop song where they tell you to “throw your hands up!” I’m talking about the moment of defeat. The moment when you want to quit…on parenting, chores, paying bills, cooking dinner, doing laundry, dealing with your teenager’s attitude….you know… life!
I love being a dad to boys. I have 4 of them. And, trust me, they are all boy, all the time! I’m talking shirts off, no shoes, dirt behind the ears, smelling like they’ve spent an entire day out in the sun immediately after getting out of the bathtub, all boy! It’s fun.
It’s easy to lose sight of the most important things when it comes to parenting. I don’t know if you can identify or not, but the busier I become, the harder it is for me to keep the critical parts of parenting in front of me. Especially in a world that’s moving at the speed of light!
Over the past several years, our family has experienced some painful moments. In fact, we bear the scars. But I’m learning how healing their story can be for others who are suffering.
