The Best Gift You Can Ever Give Your Children
Is anything more satisfying than giving a good gift to your kids? Even a little thing goes a long way. Whether for birthdays, Christmas, or even just an everyday treat, the gifts we give our kids can bring a lot of joy.
But how much time do we think about the more important gifts we give our kids? Gifts like love, acceptance, opportunity, forgiveness, comfort, belonging. Shouldn’t these get at least as much attention as the gifts we can wrap up for them?
I’ve given plenty of gifts to my kids over the years, but I can tell you one thing for sure: one of the best gifts I’ve ever given them was embracing my identity as their mom.
What do I mean here?
For me, it looked like cultivating my security in my own ability to raise them (instead of constantly judging myself that someone else would probably do a better job.)
There are two practical ways to embrace this gift:
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Remind your kids that they are a gift to you.
Your kids are exactly who God created them to be. He has good plans for them, quirks and all! And even more importantly, these kids are exactly the kids you need. When God planned to give them to you, He knew exactly how He wanted to use them to help you grow into a stronger, kinder person, too. It takes practice to start seeing things this way, but once you do, it makes it easier to enjoy who your kids are right now rather than over-worrying about who they’re supposed to become someday.
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Remind yourself that you are a gift to your kids.
Mama, you are exactly who God created you to be. He has good plans for you, too - quirks and all! And part of those good plans is that you are exactly the mom these kids need.
God put you in these kids’ lives on purpose. He knows exactly how He plans to use your unique life (fears, failures & all) to give your kids what they need. And if you let Him, He will even lead you through your fears & failures...the same way He will help you lead your kids through they’re fears and failures.
C.S. Lewis once wrote that “comparison is the thief of joy.” Don’t let your Instagram feed rob you of the peace God longs to give you about your identity in Him.
This sense of security in my identity as a mom didn’t happen overnight, but it has shifted everything in how I parent. My kids are enough, and so am I. We’re cheering you on, Mama - the more you see it, the more they will see it, too!
