Dreams and Hopes For Your Children
So often you hear people talk about giving their children more than they ever had. More experiences, better opportunities, the list goes on. Have you ever thought about this?
As a parent there are many things I hope for Izzy and her brother. One thing I can’t wait to do with our children is travel. I want to show them God’s creation and experience different cultures and landscapes with our family. I also want our kids to establish healthy eating habits, enjoy learning, seek God’s will for their lives and live active lifestyles. What wishes, goals, hopes or dreams do you have for your kids?
Recently I’ve been thinking about these dreams and I realized it starts with me. If I want our kids to lead an active lifestyle or seek God’s will for their lives, shouldn’t I be doing this myself? It really struck me. How can I teach her these habits if I’m not even doing it? I believe it is important to look at yourself when you are reflecting on dreams and hopes for your children.
Questions I often ask myself during self-reflection:
- Am I setting a good example with the way I live my life?
- What am I spending the majority of my time doing?
- What goals am I currently working toward?
- If I want Izzy to eat healthy, how am I doing with my eating habits?
- Am I spending enough time in God’s presence, reading His word, seeking His face?
If I’m being honest, I may not always like the answers to these questions.
Sometimes I worry about giving her dessert or letting her watch yet another episode of Sesame Street. Now I don’t think we should become obsessive or paranoid about it. No one is perfect and it’s not realistic to put pressure on yourself to be the “perfect” parent. There is no such thing as a parent who gets it right 100% of the time. At the same time it can’t hurt to engage in occasional self-reflection and think about the habits you may be modeling to your children.
What about you? Do you think we should engage in occasional self-reflection? How do you balance the hardships of life with the dreams you have for your family?
