The mistakes I have made as a Christian parent, have made me a better parent

The first child that I had the privilege in raising came to us from foster care: a  two year old with routine, preferences and habits. It was important to maintain these to help with transition, to ease, in some small way, what was another significant and life changing move for them.

Perhaps this led to me being too focused on things being a particular way. Perhaps it fed my ‘I need to do this right or I’ve failed’ tendencies?

I’m not talking about the important things that needed to stay the same – I feel comfortable that we did the best we could with what we knew then for what they needed. As they grew and developed and as I read and learned about ‘good’ parenting, I became determined to do it ‘right’. At times I was inflexible in my approach. For example, I was so determined that meal times should be all together to such an extent that I never wanted to deviate from that, as though one meal in the living room on laps was one step away from a delinquent teenager of the future! I was so passionate about doing a devotional every night with my children that I was determined we would never miss it even on those nights when the child was practically asleep and unwilling to engage.