Your Child as Your Teacher
🌟Weekly Inspiration🌟
It’s fairly miraculous how a child comes into our lives, whether they are biological or adopted. How it comes to be that this particular little spirit lands in our arms to care for—there is mystery and awe involved! For some families, it seems a perfect match and meant to be. In other families, the connection is more challenging and parents wonder how their child is of them when they feel like such a mismatch. Sometimes these words are spoken and sometimes they hover right below the surface, but the whole family can feel it.
This week, I’d like you to consider that your child is likely one of your most profound teachers in life. Their personality and quirks landed in your lap for a reason…and if you are awake and aware, there is likely something that they have to offer and teach you.
Think about your most challenging child and why they feel difficult for you…
Do they remind you of yourself?
Do they remind you of someone else?
Are they so different than you that it is hard to relate?
Are they willful?
What about their personality is triggering for you?
What situation with them leads to you losing your cool?
Are their interests different than yours?
Are their values aligned with yours?
When you notice a pattern in yourself of feeling angry, frustrated, resentful, or disappointed by your child, it’s really an opportunity to explore why they evoke this emotion in you.
What are they trying to teach you? How is the conflict with them an opening to understand yourself and them better?
Often they challenge us to be a better human- by testing our patience, capacity for unconditional love, and ability to tolerate distress and work through hard things. They force hard conversations. They make us uncomfortable. They remind us of our own imperfections. They make us think about our own tender spots from our imperfect childhood.
Reflect on how you were/are a teacher to your own parent. Consider how your child may be a teacher in your life.
Breathe a little grace and compassion into these relationships this week!
❤️