Raising People, Not ProductsSample

Recently, my dear friend gave me a beautiful picture that now guides me in my Mom Mission. She said, "Amy, when you look back at the 18 years of your son in your home, you are seeing a road with potholes and you are focusing on the potholes. What you are not seeing is the beautiful road."

"What is worse is that you actually think the road is supposed to have no potholes! There is no such thing as a smooth, paved road for any of our kids. Now let me tell you what you cannot see. As your son now leaves your home, you are going to see how God paves the potholes. God is going to fill—according to His plan, not yours, the potholes in his road."

You cannot parent without potholes. Whether these imperfections arise from your mistakes, unchangeable circumstances, difficult environments, or lack of ideal opportunities, the path to adulthood will include disappointments and unmet dreams. This reality isn't a sign of parenting failure - it's simply the nature of life in a broken world.

When you accept that potholes are unavoidable, you can release yourself from the exhausting burden of trying to control every outcome. Instead of frantically attempting to pave the perfect path, you can invest your energy in building the kind of relationship that will sustain your child through whatever difficulties they encounter.

Trust that God will fill the potholes according to His perfect plan and timing.

Reflection Question: How can you help your child understand that their worth isn't determined by avoiding life's potholes, but by how they navigate them with your support?

Not So Perfect Mom

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Also, check out this episode of Family Vision, a Podcast with Amy Rienow and her Daughter Lissy: Mom Q&A: Dealing with Bad Behavior