One Last Time

When Tim and I became parents, we knew this was the most important job that we would ever be given. And we were convinced that God would not have assigned us the job without giving us a job description and a plan for raising kids who love others and love Him.

We have spent almost 4 decades learning, teaching and writing about that plan. We call it Grace Based Parenting. It is simply and profoundly loving your children the way God loves His children and that’s with grace. It’s a wonderfully effective way of connecting to a child’s heart in such a way that you prepare that child to connect to the heart of God.

In talking with parents about Grace Based parenting, I am asked occasionally “what are the most important years in a child’s development?” I always give the same answer – ages 0-18. Even though a child’s physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs vary during different stages of their childhood, there isn’t a time when they don’t need the loving support and presence of their Mom and Dad.

More than any other time, our kids need us to be there for them. They are facing challenges to their value system and beliefs on a moment-by-moment basis. Our children must see our value system embodied in our lives. The foundation we build under them at home has to support them for the rest of their lives. It cannot be taken lightly because this opportunity of influence will not be there indefinably.

There is going to come a time, (and for many of us, that time has come and gone) when we will all do something for the last time with our children.

A last time on our lap

A last bunch of flowers picked from the neighbor’s yard

A last at bat

A last camping trip

A last hand drawn picture for the refrigerator

A last “Mommy when I grow up, I want to marry someone just like you”

A last chance to cheer from the sidelines

One last uninhibited hug

These last times are sacred moments and they sneak up on us and are over before we realize the significance and finality of them. Because we never know when that last time will happen, we need to have a plan for connecting to the heart of our children as they change and grow up – a- blueprint for loving our children the way God loves His.  

Grace Based Parenting is that proven plan. Why not give it a try?

For more information about Grace Based Parenting, click here.