Imagine If every parent was a superhero and we could chase away all the fears, turmoil and sadness our kids go through in a given day. What if we could survive on little to no sleep in order to actually make sure each of our children’s needs were being met? Isn’t that our goal? If we were superheroes, we could stay up late to speed clean the house, feed the pets, play games and do crafts with the kids, read to the baby, surprise them all with a hot breakfast every morning, and still have the energy level of a thousand preschoolers to homeschool the children and accomplish household tasks quicker than the dog can run to the front door to bark at the neighbor walking by. It would be amazing, but then reality sets in. The truth is our conscience is probably kicking in right about now telling us it’s time to step up and be the incredibly present parent we were meant to be.
What’s the best way to be a more present parent and meet the desires of our kid’s hearts? Talk to them. Smile and laugh with them. Spend time with them. Actually listen to them. It’s not rocket science really. Children simply want to be loved, listened to, noticed, cared for, praised, admired, respected, cheered for, pampered, tickled, entertained, and given constant, undivided attention. Don’t our kids deserve a parent that’s willing to do all that? It may not be the true reality, but as long as we have a willing heart to try, we might just come real close to accomplishing a lot of those heart desires for our kids and being a more present parent.
Here are some great suggestions to consider when looking for ways to be the super parent each child believes their parent can be:
● Look your child in the eyes each day and tell them you love them
● Give your child a hug, pat on the head, or a kiss on the cheek or forehead everyday
● If your child needs you for something, show up and be actively PRESENT
● Avoid being overbooked and under aware of what’s going on in your own household
● Learn to balance everything and take your child’s feelings into consideration
● Stop what you’re doing long enough to really listen to what your child has to say when they want to tell you something
● Turn off the cell phone, tablet, laptop and TV and sit on the floor and play with your child
● Get out the board games or card games and have a night of no electronics
● Role model good manners
● Role model forgiveness and the willingness to admit when you are wrong
● Be your child’s biggest fan by always cheering them on to victory in all things in life
There’s always going to be something in life that keeps you “busy” and tempts you to be stolen away from time you should be investing with your kids. Don’t be fooled. We only get to hold this special moment in time to be a parent with kids at home, under our roof for a short time. Once you’ve missed it, there’s no getting it back. Listen well and remember… “children are indeed a heritage from the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” - Psalm 127:3. Do all you can to be a living example in their lives, love on them profusely, listen MORE, FORGIVE more, show RESPECT, and keep their trust. In the end, you’ll be forever grateful that you stopped and took the time to enjoy their childhood and raise them the way God intended it to be. Giving our kids our ALL is what they deserve. We need to be ALL IN for Jesus first and then ALL IN for our spouse and children. That’s what being more present as a parent should truly be.
