As parents and teachers, we carry a deep desire to protect our children. We want to keep them safe from harm, from disappointment and from anything that might hurt them before they’re ready. But sometimes, in our pursuit to ‘protect’, we can inadvertently create the very problem we were attempting to solve. True protection isn’t about sheltering forever, it’s about preparing them to step into the world with wisdom, courage and skill.
Every year, mutton birds (or short-tailed shearwaters for my fellow nature nerds) make an unimaginable migration from Australia to the northern Pacific and back again. It’s one of nature’s most impressive journeys. But there’s something remarkable (and sobering) about it. If a young bird takes off too soon before the older, experienced birds have set out, it rarely survives. Without the guidance of the flock and the right timing, their wings give out, and many are lost at sea. It’s a phenomenon scientists call a “seabird wreck.”
It paints a sombre yet powerful image: Readiness matters. Timing matters. Maturity matters.
If we rush children into experiences before they’re ready or quietly step back and let culture lead the way, we risk setting them up for struggle rather than success. Whether it’s the pull of social media/ online gaming, too much independence too early, or emotional pressures beyond their years, they can easily lose their bearings. Children need time to grow stronger, to learn from trusted parents/mentors/leaders and to learn the steady rhythm of safe flight. We don’t want to stop them from flying; we want their wings to be ready when they finally take off on their own.
A child isn’t raised by accident, so let’s band together to train and protect, not be pacifists or guards who simply lock away. Let’s be the parents, the teachers, the leaders who wait, who coach, who equip and who are not the anxious ones who rush the flight. Because when children are trained and guided, they won’t just survive the journey… they’ll soar.
Isaiah 40:31 (CSB) – “But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary; they will walk and not faint.”
Mr Jordan VanAalst / Junior School Welfare Leader
