That’s a bold statement.
In our endeavour to make our children’s lives better than our own, we sometimes resemble something of a helicopter parent. As I reflect on raising my own children, there are many experiences I tried to shelter them from. While this is a noble pursuit, it is not always what’s best for our kids. Sometimes they have to learn the hard way, as we did.
God has created us all as individuals. However, there are common traits that lie within the body of humanity. A tendency towards things like procrastination, or the drive to over-achieve, some of us are naturally good organisers, some of us are not. The list is extensive. As we grow and change, we learn certain things. For some of us, perhaps all of us, it isn’t until we make the same mistakes again and again that the light bulb starts to flicker.
Failure can be a great teacher. Winston Churchill said “Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” Everyday we fail on some level. God knows our weaknesses yet loves us anyway. “His mercies are new every morning.” (Lam 3:23)
So, next time you go to do your child’s homework, school project or assessment task, or apply for an extension at the last minute because your child has left it too late, leave them to experience the consequences for their actions. It might be just what they need to make a change!
Mrs Tammy Perrim / Head of Middle School
