Involvement means crawling inside your kid’s head and heart and finding out what he/she is thinking and feeling. It means diving into the often-turbulent waves caused by emotions- both the child’s and yours.
This can be scary and uncomfortable. And that’s why so many parents run from involvement and withdraw to ‘safer’ territory. The sobering truth is that you can be in the same house, but be totally clueless about what’s really going on in your child’s life.
Connecting with your teenager may be the most demanding challenge of your life, and you won’t always see immediate results.
But sometimes, connecting can be as simple as walking into your child’s bedroom, sitting down and asking a few questions. Or taking your child out for a snack and letting him/her talk.
It’s a process that should begin early in a child’s life. In this present time when children don’t get to have enough time with their parents (majorly because of career and wanrting to make sure there’s food on the table), it takes extra-special grace to successfully be integrated into their lives.
Material things are good but your love and presence are worth much more. Be interested in their interests. Gain their trust. Be their best friend.
Ask the Holy Spirit for help.
When I was growing up, my mum practically knew everything going on in my life. Not because I told her but because it would have been revealed to her.
So when I say relying on the Holy Spirit is the way to go, I know just what I’m saying. See being involved in your child’s life as very important. Whether he/she is a toddler or teenager, work at building a great relationship with her/him.
When you pursue real involvement in your child’s life you follow God’s example:
“You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways” (Psalm 139:1-3)
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our kids could say the same of us?
Grace be multiplied unto us in Jesus’ name.
