Once a Parent Always a Parent by Kellie Perego

 Once a Parent Always a Parent

The journey of life is always unpredictable and uncertain. Certainly in the area of parenting. During our earlier years we dream of meeting that right person, getting married, and raising a family. AS the years pass and our dreams come true, we find ourselves in a place in our lives where we wonder, where did all the years go? Wow, that went by fast!

That has been true for me. I did meet the perfect spouse for me. WE’VE been married for 23 years and we have two great children, Parker and Karlee. In my journey of life, we chose for me to stay home with my children and not to work outside the home. In doing so, it allowed me to be more involved in our children’s upbringing and education on a deeper level than most parents.

Parenting is something that is trial and error at the most.  Parenting skills ARE DETERMINED BY THE BELIEFS, VALUES, MANNERS AND EDUCATION THAT WAS RECEIVED ALONG THE WAY. Parenting must be executed on an individual basis. Each child is fearfully and wonderfully made by our creator so that no two ARE just alike. Each CHILD has their own personality traits, likes and dislikes, talents and skills, and certain things that MOTIVATE them to succeed or not succeed. To parent a child, we must know the child and adjust accordingly. Know what makes them tick, so to speak, or understand their thinking, their heart, whether it is sensitive to the world around them or if it is indifferent.

A parent must be an advocate for their child. No one else in the world is going love them more except for Jesus. The world wants to shred them a part, destroy them, do away with them before they are even born. We must stand in the gap for them through prayer, be a godly example, be consist in our own lives and not be hypocritical, be open and honest especially when we make a mistake and I think the most important thing is to keep your word when you say you are going to do something, follow through. Children are not dumb, they know when you are real or not. They mimic your every move. One day, we will be held accountable before God on how we parented our children that he blessed us with.

At this point in my journey of this life, my children will both be attending college in the fall, and I am left with an ‘empty house’. Sometimes, all the hype is about the kids needing to adjust to college life, being away from home, and taking on more adult responsibilities. But I think the adjustment is for the moms who have spent 18 years of their lives preparing them to go out into the world.  We, AS MOMS have carried them, delivered them, nursed their every hurt and pain, poured into their lives everything we possibly can and one day they are UP and gone. No more nurturing, no more endless chores or cooking. Just you and your spouse again.

  It is going to be an adjustment FOR ME, but at the same time, I am excited about what lies ahead. Opportunities for me to fulfill my life long dreams and passions of serving on the mission field. Opportunities to pour into other children’s lives nurturing love and encouragement that otherwise they might not have because of the death of their parents. Whether they are 10,000 miles across the WORLD or right down the street in your neighborhood or even your own grandchildren, there will always be a need for parenting in some child’s life. God never intends for us to stop parenting just because our kids are grown or we think we are too old. He wouldn’t have given us all those years of training if he didn’t want us to use our knowledge of parenting for his glory to encourage others. Besides, just because your children are growing up, doesn’t mean that you won’t continue parenting them, you are just learning a new level of parenting on your journey of parenthood.