The Best Way to Parent That Very Unique Child of Yours
Peanut butter and jelly.
Peanut butter and honey.
Jelly. No peanut butter.
Tuna fish.
This summarizes the lunch hour in my home.
Gym shorts.
A dress with a bottom that can spin.
Purple sweatpants, orange ruffle tank top and a pair of watermelon colored flip flops.
Any variation of leggings and a too small t-shirt.
This is the morning wardrobe.
Bubbly.
Blunt.
Observant.
Fearless.
A brief description of their everyday personalities.
Get the picture? These are my four girls. The differences between them are endless and make our days together a priceless mystery.
As a young mom, I watched my girls play. I examined how they learned and related to each other and I was continually amazed that it was possible to be born to the exact same parents, raised in the exact same family structure and somehow exude so many differences.
And then I remembered who their Creator is and wondered why I should expect anything less.
Our God is creative.
He does not skip generations and He does not stop with height and hair color. His creativity is unconstrained and limitless. There are over 7 billion people in our world, all created by the One True God, and not one person is the same as another. Not even the ones sharing a bedroom, whispering secrets and calling you “Mom” or “Dad.”
Understanding this attribute of God gives me the desire to know my children and it drives me to direct my parenting according to the way their Heavenly Father has created them.
Now, please know that I do not adhere to every preference or want of my children, however trying to understanding their God-given uniqueness gives me the opportunity to lead them in a way that they can relate and easily grasp.
With each new season I find myself learning how I can best parent them according to their innate differences.
4 Things to Remember About Your Unique Child
So, when everything else about them seems to be shifting and developing, here are a few things I know to be true and I try to keep these things in the forefront of my mind and theirs!
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My children are intentionally crafted by the Creator of the Universe.
Psalm 139:13
For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
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My children are different from my neighbor’s children as they are different from each other. God did this on purpose, for His purpose.
Romans 12:6
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;
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My children are God’s gift and they are to be treasured and treated accordingly.
Psalm 127:3
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
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As their parent, it is my responsibility to know them, love them and train them in the way that they should go.
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
And just for a little encouragement, here are a few helpful ways you can get to know your children individually!
- Date your children and have a desire to know them intimately. Spend quality time with each child individually in order to get to know them not just as children, but as God’s special creation. (30 Ways to Date Your Daughter!)
- Be flexible and willing to adjust. Core values and principles are the foundation; however how they are taught and applied sometimes requires custom lessons and methods.
- Be the ultimate living example of God’s Truth. Continue to evaluate your values, standards and desires according to His Word.
Blessings on you and your unique child!
~ Wynter Pitts, ForGirlsLikeYou
100 Words of Affirmation Your Son/Daughter Needs to Hear
Matt and Lisa Jacobson want you to discover the powerful ways you can build your children up in love with the beautiful words you choose to say every day–words that every son and daughter needs to hear.
These affirmation books offer you one hundred phrases to say to your son or daughter – along with short, personal stories and examples – that deeply encourage, affirm, and inspire.
So start speaking a kind and beautiful word into their lives daily and watch your children–and your relationship with them–transform before your eyes.
