Raising Independent Thinkers

(written in a hurry but felt the need to write)

Raising mindful independent thinkers is not an easy task.  Raising mindful independent thinkers, also, isn't letting your kids make all the decisions or letting them do whatever whenever they want just in the spirit of "raising independent thinkers".  Rather it is a long....let me repeat, long and sometimes agonizing journey that seems never ending.  God usually gives us just enough light at times to keep us going; showing us that we are, indeed, on a the right path. 

First and foremost we need to be a living and breathing example of what we hope to pass on.  If I want my kids to be able to stand firm in his or her beliefs then I also must stand firm.  I must teach why we believe what we believe.  We need to give them a chance to question, to argue, to make their ideas and wonderings known and talk about them as we live our day to day life. We need to talk about different behaviors that they come across and discuss about them and the character behind it. All these things build on to each other.  

Many times we, as parents, can see something in our children that nobody can see. Sometimes a hard push in the right direction is just what they need to get going.  Sometimes a quiet tongue and a listening ear is all that is necessary.  Sometimes you even have to "Let go and Let God".  But the one thing that is vital is to NEVER GIVE UP and never to let them give up on themselves.  Don't let them quit tee-ball if they don't like it...That's surely not the character you want to build in your child...to give up when things get tough.  Don't let them give up on a friendship just because of a disagreement. 

Make sure the child finishes things.

So, I have a lot more to say on this topic but I wanted to get to why I felt like writing about this to begin with.

I have 4 great kids.  Each of them have their own awesomeness:) My oldest is just starting her sophomore year and her younger sister is only 2 years behind her.  So, graduation and college is very much on my mind.  As well as, living on their own. From a very young age my oldest has said what she truly wants to be when she grows up is a mom...a homeschool mom and also has a heart for mission work.

As much as I think that is an important role to take, I want her to be educated.  I also would tell her that she doesn't know that God will bless her with a husband early on. So, I would ask her what job she'd like to do before that.  I started to plant some seeds.  Being mindful that she wants to do some mission work and wants to be a mom I thought a nurse or a school teacher would fit great.  I would tell her that she would have tangible things to use in both motherhood and on the mission field. 

 She wasn't sure...she was still young.  

I told her that if she was a teacher that she would have extra skills to homeschool and that she could earn a little income by tutoring and still be able to stay home.  As a nurse, she would surely use her skills in motherhood and if needed some extra income she could work flex hours on the weekend or for an insurance company. On top of that, the mission field is always looking for medical personnel. 

For her, a schoolteacher never interested her which I don't understand since she is so great with kids.  She thought about a nurse but couldn't get past the fact that she might have to deal with throw up or something even stinker.  She threw those things out the door and wondered what else.  Well, as much as I thought she'd do great at those I needed this to be something she thought of.  Sure, I gave ideas but never pushed...Except to say that she needed to really think and more importantly pray about it.

Fast forward to July 1 of this year. 

We were on our way to Sedona, AZ driving 80 mph (btw, that was the speed limit) right next to the border.  We were all talking about the border patrol and listening to music.  When we turned a sharp curve to see something horrific.  

It had just happened. 

 Car pieces were all over the highway and as we followed the skid marks our eyes focused first on the upside-down car, then to the toddler boy standing next to it looking at a man ( I assumed his father or a truck driver) hovering over a motionless woman's body which I assumed to be the mother.  Truckers from both sides of the highway stopped to call it in and see what they could do to help.  We pulled to the side and almost went to help but then thought that there was nothing we could do.  None of us are truly trained in medicine besides CPR.  We knew it had been called in and help would be there soon.  We knew they weren't alone.  

So, with sad hearts we drove off.

  We started praying as a family for that family. That was all we really could do.  There was another occurrence of helping out... if I was only a nurse or doctor (nothing that traumatic).  I think that did something to Hannah. It really bothered her that we...She could not help. God works in His own unique ways.  He knows Hannah's heart.  She has been given a servants heart.  

Truly God given I'm convinced.

  Not being able to help someone in need right in front of you when you have a God given desire to serve and help where ever need is....Well, lets just say that she is looking more seriously in the field of nursing:)

Unwind....Train up a child in the way of the Lord and when they leave you they will not lose their way. Ok, I know that is  not the verse 100% BUT it is the gist of it:)